The spinoff of Tsukuba University was founded in 2003 and develops and sells in-vitro diagnostic systems. They have developed an MCI blood test which is offered in about 1800 Japanese institutions. The test combines three protein markers whose blood concentrations change with Alzheimer’s disease and MCI and estimates the degree of cognitive impairment by statistical method. In healthy condition, amyloid beta peptide, the causative agent of Alzheimer’s disease, is released from the brain into the blood via the spinal fluid. This mechanism involves apolipoprotein” related to lipid metabolism and “complement protein” with immune function. Shimadzu and Taiyo Life Insurance will jointly invest 510 million Yen.”
MCBI news release, August 22, 2017-08-29