Summary: Labcorp introduced a new blood test for detecting glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a crucial biomarker for identifying neurodegenerative diseases and neurological injuries. This test aims to streamline the assessment of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Takeaways:

  • The GFAP test utilizes highly sensitive immunoassay technology that enables the measurement of GFAP levels from a simple blood draw, enhancing diagnostic capabilities.
  • This test can be conducted in various settings, including hospitals, physician’s offices, and Labcorp’s extensive network of patient service centers nationwide. 
  • Labcorp’s GFAP test expands its neurology portfolio to include GFAP alongside other biomarkers like NfL, pTau181, pTau217, and beta amyloid 42/40. 

Labcorp announced the availability of a new test for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a critical blood-based biomarker for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases and neurological injuries.

New Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Biomarker Test

The new GFAP test—which will be offered commercially nationwide—is designed to offer physicians a more efficient pathway to assess the presence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma, and injuries like traumatic brain injury (TBI). The biomarker test also expands on Labcorp’s comprehensive neurology portfolio, which includes biomarker tests for neurofilament light chain (NfL), pTau181, pTau217, and beta amyloid 42/40.

“The introduction of the GFAP biomarker test marks a significant milestone for Labcorp, extending our leadership in the rapidly accelerating field of blood-based biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases,” says Brian Caveney, MD, Labcorp’s chief medical and scientific officer. “The breadth of our portfolio reflects our commitment to providing physicians with cutting-edge technology for the evaluation and treatment of neurodegeneration to enhance and improve patient care.”

Further reading: Skin Biopsy is Effective at Detecting Neurodegenerative Diseases

Blood Test for Neurodegenerative Disease

The GFAP test utilizes highly sensitive immunoassay technology to measure the presence of GFAP from a simple blood draw, which can be conducted in hospitals, a physician’s office, or any of Labcorp’s more than 2,000 patient service centers across the country.

GFAP typically exists in the brain’s support cells, known as astrocytes. In the context of neurodegenerative disease or injury, astrocytes release GFAP into the blood, allowing brain injury and disease to be assessed through a simple blood draw. GFAP has been widely studied as a valuable early-stage indicator of neurological damage.