Unlocking the Potential of the Plasma Proteome to Diagnose and Treat Disease
Alkahest’s research centers on analyzing the body’s natural regulatory and communication mechanisms embedded in the plasma proteome, which encompasses many thousands of diverse proteins, each with different but important functions. The promise of plasma proteome science and its potential to be converted into life-changing treatments inspires our work.
As we age, about 20% of our plasma proteins experience substantial changes or express themselves differently when we fall ill. If we can identify the specific proteins that influence changes in health over time – called biomarkers of disease – then it’s equally plausible to develop diagnostic solutions that confirm a given pathology and therapeutics based on the body’s natural restorative biological processes to mitigate or cure it.
Seeking Early Biological Signals of Disease
Currently, most diseases are diagnosed based on observable clinical symptoms that emerge only after significant biological damage has occurred in cells and tissues. This late diagnosis reduces the efficacy of disease-modifying interventions, if available.
We are analyzing longitudinal plasma samples collected over nearly 15 years to study how distinct plasma proteins evolve over time. This effort could help establish early plasma biomarkers – early disease signals – to accelerate the discovery of new diagnostic tools as well as the identification and development of novel disease-modifying therapeutics.
What sets us apart is twofold: First, our access to one of the world’s largest banks of plasma samples, collected by our parent company Grifols, a global leader in plasma medicines. This repository contains the early stages of the evolution of thousands of diseases prior to diagnosis. It offers a unique opportunity to study plasma changes across all disease phases and identify key biomarkers. Second, our use of the most advanced proteomics technology platforms, combined with our expertise in artificial intelligence and integrative analysis of multiomics and real-world data in diagnostic and therapeutic drug discovery.
Until now, the discovery of potential biomarkers has involved research cohorts participating in clinical trials post-disease diagnosis, as well as population-based studies. This approach has major shortcomings, including the limited number of biospecimens collected during the pre-clinical phases of disease. Our exceptional analysis of pre-diagnosis samples enables a comprehensive longitudinal understanding of the early stages of disease progression years before symptoms appear.
Learn more about Grifols’ innovation on plasma science here.
Douglas Kirsher, Bioinformatics Associate III
Chronos-PD
Our initial focus is on Parkinson’s Disease (PD), supported by a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).
PD affects nearly 1 million people in the U.S. and more than 6 million people worldwide1. It occurs when brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die.
Since significant neuronal damage occurs before PD is clinically diagnosed, medical interventions become less effective. Despite decades of research and treatment advancement, the understanding of the drivers of the disease remains limited.
Chronos-PD will examine thousands of longitudinal plasma samples covering a period of up to 10 years. It aims to identify the earliest biological signals of PD, which could indicate increased chance of developing the condition years before symptoms appear, leading to earlier diagnostic tools or disease-altering treatments. As the largest longitudinal collection of PD biospecimens, it provides a deep, retrospective profile of plasma samples across all disease phases. Learn more here.
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research