EIT Health’s innovation project, EDIT-B, has developed a blood diagnostic test designed to differentiate bipolar disorder from depression using RNA editing biomarkers and artificial intelligence.
EIT Health is celebrating EDIT-B consortium’s accelerated launch of the bipolar disorder diagnostic test, achieving this milestone two years earlier than planned, according to the organization.
“The EDIT-B consortium, led by our partner ALCEDIAG (Alcen Group), is directly addressing the challenge of improving bipolar disorder diagnosis,” says Jean-Marc Bourez, CEO, EIT Health. “This not only supports EIT Health’s main mission of helping citizens live healthier and longer lives but also emphasises the importance of mental health as a crucial aspect of care management and community wellbeing.”
Further reading: Blood Test to Diagnose Bipolar Disorder Developed
Approximately 2.3% of the European population is affected by bipolar disorder,[1] yet the average diagnostic delay is 8-10 years due to confusion with symptoms of depression.[2] The EDIT-B consortium—featuring experts from ALCEDIAG, Alcen, Capital Region of Denmark, Fundació Clinic per la Recerca Biomèdica, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, ProductLife Group, and SYNLAB—aims to dramatically reduce this diagnostic delay.
Through EIT Health’s support, strategic guidance, and assistance in navigating recent regulatory changes, the consortium is now able to bring its test to market in 2023, a full two years ahead of the projected launch date of 2025. EDIT-B has already undergone clinical validation in two studies[3] on independent cohorts, and is CE IVD[4] marked, boasting sensitivity and specificity rates above 80%. The test will be made available to healthcare professionals and their patients across Europe, helping practitioners make quicker diagnoses and improving patient care and management.
“EIT Health’s role in EDIT-B’s success cannot be overstated,” says Alexandra Prieux, CEO of ALCEDIAG. “They not only shared our vision for innovation but also provided unwavering support. The EIT Health network’s strength enabled us to form a robust consortium with industrial partners like SYNLAB and clinicians, whose collaboration extended beyond the project’s initial scope to deliver this innovation to European citizens.”
References
- Merikangas KR & al. Prevalence and correlates of bipolar spectrum disorder in the world mental health survey initiative. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011;68(3):241- 51.
- HAS. June 2014
- Salvetat & al. A game changer for bipolar disorder diagnosis using RNA editing-based biomarkers. Transl.Psychiatry (2022) 12:182
- Directive 98-79-CE
