IDIBELL and the Bellvitge University Hospital have played a key role in the clinical validation of a new blood biomarker discovered and developed in Catalonia which, for the first time, makes it possible to predict the progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s dementia. While recently developed international blood biomarkers can confirm the presence of Alzheimer’s pathology, the new MAP-AD® test is prognostic, providing crucial information about each patient’s likely clinical course.
The research results, published in iScience (Cell Press), have led to the development of the MAP-AD® test by ADmit Therapeutics, a spin-out from Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL). The test has also been granted CE-IVDR marking, certifying that it meets the EU’s rigorous safety and performance requirements and clearing the way for its clinical use.
According to CatSalut (2023), around 2% of the population in Catalonia is affected by some form of dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common (69%). This figure rises steeply with age, reaching a prevalence of 9.6% among people over 70.
The announcement of these results coincides with the “New Times, New Answers” Alzheimer’s Day event being held on 19 September at Bellvitge University Hospital to mark World Alzheimer’s Day on Sunday 21 September. The event is aimed at primary care doctors, healthcare professionals and especially the relatives of people living with Alzheimer’s, and seeks to connect science, lived experience, innovation and humanised care.
A breakthrough in predicting Alzheimer’s
The multicentre observational study was coordinated by Dr Jordi Gascón, Head of the Memory Unit in the Neurology Department at Bellvitge University Hospital, with the participation of neurologists Dr Ramón Reñé and Dr Jaume Campdelacreu.
The research involved samples from people with MCI and from cognitively healthy volunteers, collected from several hospitals (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Consorci Sanitari Integral, Fundación CITA-Alzheimer) and from the biobanks of the University of Washington and the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle Study.
The first prognostic blood test to anticipate Alzheimer’s dementia
MAP-AD® is a qualitative blood test that measures novel mitochondrial biomarkers (mitochondrial DNA methylation) and integrates them with clinical data to predict with high accuracy which patients with MCI will progress to Alzheimer’s dementia and which will remain stable.
Dr Jordi Gascón said: “For years we have been able to identify the underlying pathology, but predicting clinical progression has been very challenging. Having a reliable tool to anticipate disease course is a turning point -it enables us to have better informed conversations with families and to guide preventive strategies, clinical trial enrolment and the use of emerging therapies”.
Dr Marta Barrachina, CEO and co-founder of ADmit Therapeutics, added: “The European certification and the publication in iScience reinforce the robustness of our test. It is a key milestone because, unlike other biomarkers which simply confirm pathology, MAP-AD® predicts clinical progression. This makes it unique and a new way to improve care for people at risk of Alzheimer’s. Our company is a clear example of disruptive innovation in biomedicine, turning laboratory research initiated at IDIBELL into a clinical-grade healthcare product”.
A new integrated model for dementia care and research
The development of this biomarker coincides with the launch of the new Memory Unit at Bellvitge University Hospital, which has transformed the way people with cognitive impairment are cared for. The new comprehensive, multidisciplinary model has reduced the waiting time for a first appointment from 12 months to just 15 days and has established the unit as a referral centre for more than 2,000 patients each year from the southern area of L’Hospitalet and from El Prat de Llobregat.
In a single morning, patients receive medical, neuropsychological, nursing and social work assessments, improving the experience for both patients and carers. The unit is also driving innovations such as digital tools, carer support programmes and new lines of dementia research. According to Dr Gascón, “This project improves the quality of life of patients and carers and provides a solid foundation for collaborative network-based care”.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a research center established in 2004 specialized in cancer, neuroscience, translational medicine, and regenerative medicine. It counts on a team of more than 1.500 professionals who, from 73 research groups, publish more than 1.400 scientific articles per year. IDIBELL is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona, and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).