On October 10, 2025, Alamar Biosciences announced the launch of the NULISAqpcr BD-pTau217 Assay, a significant advancement in the detection of brain-specific biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease research. This innovative blood-based assay is designed to measure phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217), a crucial biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s and other tauopathies.
The NULISAqpcr BD-pTau217 Assay distinguishes itself as the first brain-derived single-plex solution available, setting a new standard for precision and specificity in neurodegenerative disease studies. Built on Alamar’s proprietary NULISATM platform, it offers enhanced sensitivity and specificity using non-invasive sample types, including plasma, serum, and dried blood spots.
Transforming Alzheimer’s Research
This new assay directly quantifies CNS-derived pTau217 without necessitating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection or PET imaging. This breakthrough removes significant barriers, facilitating its adoption in population-based studies and longitudinal clinical trials.
Dr. Yuling Luo, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Alamar Biosciences, emphasized the impact of this technology, stating, “The NULISAqpcr BD-pTau217 Assay redefines what’s possible in CNS biomarker quantitation. By removing the noise from the peripheral sources of tau, researchers can now detect meaningful changes in the brain earlier and with higher precision.”
Jonathan Schott, MD, PhD, a Professor of Neurology at University College London, praised the assay’s performance, noting, “For the detection of Alzheimer’s pathology with cognitive symptoms, our early results suggest that the single-plex format performs at least as well as established plasma pTau217 tests, but has a higher fold-change, resulting in fewer samples being classified in the indeterminate range.”
Supporting Research and Innovation
The NULISAqpcr BD-pTau217 Assay is available as a standalone single-plex solution or within the multiplex NULISAseqTM CNS Disease Panel 120, supporting both discovery and translational research. Its automated workflow allows for the processing of over 220 samples daily using the ARGOTM HT System, making it ideal for high-throughput analysis in disease cohorts or population-based studies.
Alamar Biosciences remains committed to collaborating with the neuroscience community to unlock biomarker insights that accelerate research progress in Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions.
It is important to note that the NULISA BD-pTau217 Assays are intended for research use only and are not approved for diagnostic procedures. For further information, visit Alamar Biosciences’ official website at alamarbio.com.
Alamar Biosciences is a privately held life sciences company dedicated to enhancing precision proteomics for the earliest detection of disease. Through its proprietary NULISATM platform and ARGOTM HT System, the company achieves detection sensitivity that greatly surpasses existing protein detection technologies.
