NEWS
Plasma pTau-181 test for Alzheimer’s disease
Quanterix has announced the validation of a laboratory developed test (LDT) to quantitatively measure phospho-Tau 181 (pTau-181) in plasma as an aid in the diagnostic evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Quanterix’ LDT – the first pTau-181 plasma test released for clinical use in the USA – is a quantitative immunoassay intended for the measurement of pTau- 181 concentration in human plasma. The test results are intended to be used in adults presenting with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for AD and must be interpreted in conjunction with other diagnostic tools. Phospho-Tau isoforms are uniquely positioned to anchor efforts to evaluate and diagnose AD pathology. These proteins are specific for AD and can serve to increase the sensitivity and specificity of a test that incorporates less-specific blood-based markers of brain health, such as amyloid beta and neurofilament light chain (NfL). A menu of assays covering these markers, including in multiplex formats, has been developed on Quanterix’s ultrasensitive platforms to further the company’s goal of helping to advance the understanding of AD and other poorly understood neurological pathologies.
“Quanterix has long been dedicated
to arming researchers and pharmaceutical companies with the unparalleled sensitivity to quantify biomarkers in less-invasive samples such as blood, so they can advance our understanding and treatment of devastating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” said Masoud Toloue, President and CEO, Quanterix Corporation. “Alongside our pTau-181 clinical test, we also continue to innovate by making markers like NfL available to advance neurodegenerative disease research and therapeutic clinical trials.”
www.quanterix.com
EDITOR’S COMMENT Importance of networking
Welcome to the September 2022 issue of Pathology in Practice. Since publication in 2006 of Lord Carter of Coles’ Report of the Review of NHS Pathology Services in England, the organisation and delivery of pathology services have changed dramatically, with the network model now delivering the benefits, both to patients and the service, that Lord Carter originally suggested were achievable. Looking at the pathology landscape across the UK, the network model of delivery is evident, in some cases supported by the commercial sector, and in others run as NHS trust organisations. North West London Pathology is just one example of the development that pathology has undergone since 2006, and its haematology and coagulation services feature in this month’s cover story and accompanying article. North West London Pathology is responsible for one of the largest hub-and-spoke networks within the NHS and has responded to specific clinical need required of the seven hospitals within the network, rather than centralising all routine and specialist testing in one central hub. Read more about this innovative approach on page 29.
Over the past 15 years, point-of-care testing (POCT) has demonstrated its increasing importance in the delivery of modern healthcare. This near-patient service once again appears in these pages,
with coverage this month looking at future models of POCT provision, and also a potential crisis developing in the supply chain, which could have an impact on this increasingly important service. Genomics and personalised medicine go hand in hand, with the former being the key to provision of the latter. In this issue we report on the recent British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference, the programme for which looked at different aspects of technology applied to microbiology – one of the original pathology disciplines in which genomics is playing an increasingly important role. Histopathology – another original pathology discipline – is also fundamental to the delivery of personalised medicine. In this issue we explore the value that the latest automated tissue dissection solution offers, as it is able to integrate into a laboratory’s automated workflow and deliver robust, standardised molecular diagnostic testing for laboratories of all sizes.
Networks and networking are now at the heart of 21st-century laboratory medicine. Over the past two decades, this magazine and the team responsible for its success have monitored the changes in pathology delivery and reflected upon its evolution in terms of scientific and technical advances, and in commercial developments, and will continue to do so.
briannation@stepcomms.com
Portal into pathology: an introduction
The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) has launched the Pathology Portal, a new educational resource for trainees, practicing pathologists, scientists and those in pathology-linked roles. Free to use, the Pathology Portal includes interactive educational resources. Professor Jo Martin, Pathology Portal
project lead, commented: “The Royal College of Pathologists, in partnership with the Health Education England Technology Enhanced Learning (HEE TEL) team and colleagues in other professional bodies, developed this innovative resource to deliver high-quality training materials that can be customised to individual needs, covering flexible and return-to-work training, and testing of learning. The Pathology Portal allows equitable access to a range of modules, including whole slide image-based training, ensuring consistency
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM SEPTEMBER 2022
across the country and supporting capability and competence-driven approaches.” Professor Mike Osborn, RCPath president, added: “The Pathology Portal is a fantastic innovative training and educational resource that pathologists and scientists across all pathology specialties will be able to access throughout their career. The creation and delivery of the portal has only been possible though a successful collaboration with our partners Health Education England Technology Enhanced Learning.” The initial sets of modules cover cytology, autopsy pathology, neuropathology and histopathology, including subspecialist training material that is not widely available. The next phase of the Pathology Portal involves expanding the content for all pathology specialties. This project is underway.
www.rcpath.org
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