The collaboration will assess whether cell-of-origin signatures can track central nervous system cell damage and disease progression.
Renew Biotechnologies has entered into a clinical development collaboration with Mayo Clinic to evaluate NeuroLens, a cell-free DNA (cfDNA)-based testing approach, in multiple sclerosis (MS) and related neuroimmunologic diseases.
The study aims to address the clinical need for minimally invasive biomarkers capable of providing insight into active central nervous system (CNS) injury and tracking disease changes over time to inform individualized care.
Building on Renew’s prior research in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the collaboration will evaluate cfDNA cell-of-origin signatures associated with cell death across characterized patient cohorts. The investigation will focus specifically on injury signatures tied to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendroglial cells to determine how these molecular signals correlate with disease differentiation, phenotype, stage, severity, and progression.
“Complex neurological diseases present clinical questions that require both strong molecular tools and deep clinical context,” says Chad Pollard, co-founder and CEO of Renew Biotechnologies, in a release. “Working with Mayo Clinic will help us explore new applications for NeuroLens, and provide insights as we seek to expand its potential to benefit patients across a broader range of neurological diseases.”
Evaluating Cell-of-Origin Signatures
Under the terms of the agreement, Mayo Clinic will supply clinical expertise and access to characterized biorepository resources. These resources will assist in guiding study designs, identifying relevant clinical endpoints, and providing the patient samples necessary to evaluate how NeuroLens signals correlate with disease presentation.
The project is slated to focus initially on MS, with potential expansion into other neuroimmunologic conditions as study milestones are met. Researchers plan to assess associations between cell-of-origin signals and clinical factors including relapse activity, treatment response, disability progression, and phenotype over time.
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