NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Affymetrix and Cytox today announced a collaboration to develop and commercialize a blood-based genetic assay for research in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Financial and other details of the agreement were not disclosed.
"By using a customized genetic variation (SNP) panel, it may be possible to better assess the risk of an individual developing AD or MCI," Cytox CEO Richard Pither said in a statement. He added that Affymetrix Axiom genotyping arrays are "ideally suited for use in a blood-based test for researchers interested in Alzheimer's disease and MCI risk stratification and longer-term diagnostic and prognostic use."
UK-based Cytox is developing prognostic tests for cognitive decline and genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Last month, Cytox announced it would collaborate with the Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health and Edith Cowan University to refine its collection of dementia-related SNPs.