Blood Test Stratifies Patient Populations for Depression

A neurodiagnostic company has developed a blood test for depression or major depressive disorder (MDD). Physicians believe it will improve the acceptance of the diagnosis and yield a higher level of treatment.

The test will be used by psychiatrists and primary care physicians to diagnose and monitor treatment of patients with depression. The tests are based on panels of biomarkers that predictably shift when a patient is depressed. Products are based on a human biomarker library with hyper-mapping technology.

A biologic test based upon the physiologic changes caused by depression could guide the earlier diagnosis and treatment management of the over 20 million adults in the United States suffering from this disease.

Ridge Diagnostics, Inc. (San Diego, CA, USA, and Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) has been awarded a phase II, National Science Foundation, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program grant. The grant will be used to further the clinical development and commercialization of its blood test for depression, the first blood test for any neuropsychiatric disorder.

Ridge Diagnostics testing services are provided through a clinical laboratory improvement amendments- (CLIA)-certified laboratory in North Carolina, then through diagnostic test kits sold worldwide. The company intends to develop a comprehensive neuropsychiatric disease franchise.

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