Eisai Invests $15 Million in C2N Diagnostics to Expand Access to Alzheimer’s Blood Testing

Source: 360Dx

On March 6, neurodiagnostic company C₂N Diagnostics announced that pharmaceutical manufacturer Eisai had agreed to invest $15 million in the company.

This investment will support C₂N Diagnostics in expanding the supply and use of blood-based Alzheimer's disease biomarker tests in the United States.

Before this investment, the two companies reached an agreement in 2022 aimed at building awareness and developing real-world evidence to support the use of blood-based assays in patients with cognitive impairment.

The C2N Precivity test uses mass spectrometry to measure blood-based biomarkers for detecting the presence of brain amyloid pathology specific to Alzheimer's disease. Eisai's Leqembi (lecanemab) is the second anti-amyloid Alzheimer's drug to be launched in the U.S., and it may soon become the only such drug on the market following Biogen's recent announcement that it will stop selling its anti-amyloid drug Aduhelm (aducanumab) in November.

C₂N Diagnostics CEO Joel Braunstein said in a statement, "We are extremely grateful for Eisai's dedication and thoroughness in evaluating the value and quality of our advanced diagnostic solutions in the field of brain health. With this financing, we will build on our history of attracting top-tier investors and remain committed to transforming the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease through early detection, treatment, and ultimately prevention."

Keisuke Naito, Eisai’s Global Head of Alzheimer’s and Senior Vice President, said in a statement: “The field of blood-based high-precision diagnostics is rapidly advancing and expanding. Given the cost and capacity limitations of PET and CSF tests, Eisai is working to support the development of the dementia ecosystem. Providing more affordable, minimally invasive diagnostic tools can help promote widespread access to Alzheimer’s management.”