APEX
Our lead technology platform positions us to have a meaningful impact in multiple diseases, starting with Alzheimer’s
Our lead technology, APEX, is a diagnostic platform that is uniquely capable of detecting very low levels of nanoscale, disease-specific protein states in blood with high accuracy.
APEX uses a proprietary sensor platform and optical amplification to identify diverse protein biomarkers associated with multiple diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer and heart disease.
APEX Enables Detection of EV-Protein Aggregates
PATENTED PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY
SENSOR ARRAY
Size-matched nanoholes in optimized geometry
Sensitive and enhanced detection of EVs
Healthy: green light signal
Diseased: red-shifted light signal
OPTICAL AMPLIFICATION ASSAY
Biomarker co-localization: Optical deposits form
​
Direct detection of EV-protein aggregates in native blood samples
Case in Point: Alzheimer’s Disease
In individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, “sticky” amyloid beta (Aβ) molecules accumulate in the brain. These sticky molecules form aggregates and deposits, often referred to as “amyloid plaques,” that disrupt cell function.
The APEX platform has demonstrated the ability to directly and accurately detect Aβ molecules in the blood. Current diagnostics have had limited success in identifying and analyzing these nanoscale proteins, which provide crucial disease insights.
Diseased Cell
Extracellular vesicles (EVs)
​
-
Nanoscale lipid vesicles
-
Cross the blood-brain barrier
-
Rich source of molecular biomarkers (cell surrogates, sticky proteins)
-
Aggregated or “sticky” Aβ molecules in the brain bind to lipid particles known as extracellular vesicles (EVs).
-
Scarce levels of these EVs pass through the blood-brain barrier into the bloodstream.
​
-
APEX is the only diagnostic platform that specifically detects low concentrations of these EV biomarkers and their Aβ cargo.
​
​
Published data confirm that the APEX approach:
​
-
Provides accurate detection and clinical subtyping of Alzheimer’s disease equivalent to the current gold standard, PET imaging.
​
-
Significantly improves upon all other available blood-based tests.
