Advancing Alzheimer’s diagnostics at Quanterix with multi-marker testing

I am Jorge Marquez. I am the Vice President for Accelerator, which is within Quanterix, the organization that supports our customers in custom assay development and clinical trials. Quanterix came this year to AAIC with a different key message. I think that we are still one of the world’s standards in the neuro field. We are expanding a little bit into synaptic function because sometimes, in the field, we are measuring a job, but we are always kind of measuring the trash around the neural activity: the accumulation of p-Tau, the amyloid. Now it’s time also to measure synaptic activity, which is actually the function of the neurons. So we are bringing MPTX, SNAP25, and PSD95 biomarkers.

We also are focused a lot on our clinical and diagnostics for patient care and early detection of the disease. During this AAIC, for the field, we are moving into pTau217 as a key element right now for blood biomarkers. We are seeing many communications and many companies moving to early diagnostics using pTau217, which is incredible for the field. Because you can detect the disease much earlier, and it is less invasive. So we have big names in the field pushing for these biomarkers.

We believe that at Quanterix, with our diagnostics Lucent brand, we are bringing LucentAD^® Complete, which is a multi-marker approach that takes into account the main course of Alzheimer’s disease: neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, the amyloids, and also the tau, the pTau217. I believe now, with the establishment of blood biomarkers like pTau217, the next step is to reduce uncertainty for medical decisions. That is how we feel our multi-marker approach can help.

By reducing the intermediate zone for patients that are in the middle, we are reducing this kind of intermediate zone. Basically, what we are bringing is a reduction in the uncertainty of the conclusion that a physician can get from these tests. Also, we apply ultra-high sensitivity, which brings one of the big advantages: our sensitivity.

Basically, having your lower threshold very far away from your limit of detection or limit of quantification is a huge advantage because patients that are negative, patients that are very close to the intermediate zone, can be classified as negative if there is not much difference between your sensitivity. However, what we bring here is also a resolution to uncertainty by allowing a huge separation, a good separation, between negative and the intermediate zone as well.

pTau217 has been a big focus. I think it deserves that focus, actually. It has been a huge tool. We have different assays and different platforms that can measure this progression of the disease. We also see a good correlation between traditional biomarkers, like the PET scan amyloid, and the p-Tau217 acquisition. So I think that the field right now is moving from research and development to the clinical setting. We are seeing clinical utility studies right now that are helping us to shape the role of pTau217.

Of course, now that I would say we are mature at the level of the blood biomarker pTau217, new things will add more context to the signal, like, for example, our multi-marker approach, which is trying to contextualize pTau217 to reduce the intermediate zone.

I think, for me, what is more exciting for Quanterix is to win some presence in the clinical field because we have been supporting all the studies and clinical trials with our technology. Now I think it is time to support clinical practice. We need to translate these tools into real, actionable solutions for medical doctors and neurologists. This is a hard disease that is happening. With early detection, we can really kind of delay the disease itself. So actually it can have a very good impact on patients.

So, for me, our future is in the clinical diagnostics that we are bringing into the market for doctors to use, with coverage, with insurance, etc. That is, for me, the bright future that we have in front of us, and actually paying back to society by saying, okay, now we have a solution and an action.

What is the focus of this interview?
This interview focuses on advances in Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics, including the growing role of blood-based biomarkers, pTau217, synaptic function markers, and multi-marker testing approaches designed to support earlier and more confident clinical decision-making.

Why is pTau217 important in Alzheimer’s disease testing?
pTau217 has emerged as an important blood-based biomarker because it is closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology and can help indicate the likelihood of amyloid-related changes in the brain. In the interview, Jorge Marquez highlights its growing clinical relevance and its movement from research into real-world diagnostic use.

What is LucentAD Complete?
LucentAD^® Complete is described as a multi-marker blood-based testing approach from Quanterix’s Lucent Diagnostics brand. It combines several Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers, including pTau217, to provide a broader assessment of disease biology and help reduce diagnostic uncertainty compared with a single-marker approach.

How can a multi-marker approach help reduce diagnostic uncertainty?
A multi-marker approach can provide additional biological context by measuring markers linked to amyloid pathology, tau pathology, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and other disease-related processes. This can help reduce the number of inconclusive or intermediate results and support clearer interpretation by clinicians.

What role do synaptic function biomarkers play?
Synaptic function biomarkers, such as those discussed in the interview, may help provide insight into neuronal activity and function rather than only measuring downstream signs of pathology. This could add a more complete view of neurodegenerative disease biology.

Why are blood-based Alzheimer’s tests significant for patient care?
Blood-based tests offer a less invasive and potentially more accessible alternative to approaches such as lumbar puncture or PET imaging. As discussed in the interview, earlier and more practical testing could help clinicians identify disease-related changes sooner and support more timely patient management.

What does Jorge Marquez see as the next step for Quanterix?
Jorge Marquez describes the next step as translating biomarker technologies from research and clinical trials into practical clinical diagnostic tools that can support physicians, neurologists, and patient care more directly.