CAMBRIDGE, MASS. & BREA, CALIF. & TOKYO -- Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB), Beckman Coulter, Inc. and Fujirebio announced a collaboration to potentially identify and develop blood-based biomarkers for tau pathology in the brain and to potentially clinically advance and potentially commercialize new tests for tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The development of tau-specific blood-based biomarkers that can measure a patient’s tau burden could provide critical insights into the underlying pathological processes of AD and may help advance the development of a new generation of therapies impacting tau pathology.

Through this collaboration, the companies will work to identify new blood-based biomarkers and advance known blood-based biomarkers for tau pathology in AD. The collaboration aims to develop and clinically advance new tools that measure brain tau pathology to potentially stratify patients or monitor treatment response in AD clinical trials. The collaboration has the potential to advance tau-specific blood-based biomarkers and diagnostic tools that could be used not only in clinical trials, but also in clinical practice to enable adoption of future therapies impacting tau pathology.

“Stratifying and monitoring patients for tau pathology is a growing need for the next generation of Alzheimer’s therapies, such as our pipeline of investigational tau-targeting therapies, including tau-directed ASO” said Jane Grogan, Ph.D., Head of Research at Biogen. “Through this collaboration, we plan to leverage our deep scientific expertise in the development and use of biomarkers, combined with our partners’ capabilities in diagnostics, to potentially accelerate the development timeline for blood-based diagnostics that can measure a patient’s levels of tau pathology.”

“Collaborative efforts between Biogen, Beckman Coulter and Fujirebio combine the strength of leading edge biomarker development with innovative potential treatments focused on the tauopathy aspect of neurodegeneration, driving us closer to effective solutions,” said Kathleen Orland, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Chemistry, and Immunoassay for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics. “Ensuring high quality neurological tests are broadly available through our global installed-base of analyzers, this collaboration with Biogen and Fujirebio underscores our commitment to working with leaders in neurodegenerative disease areas to bring fully automated, high throughput, blood-based Alzheimer’s disease testing to the millions of patients who suffer from dementia worldwide.”

“Blood-based biomarkers for tau pathology could advance the development and implementation of disease-modifying therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as AD,” said Monte Wiltse, President & CEO of Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc. “This partnership will further help us accelerate our efforts to develop novel neurodegenerative disease diagnostics and deliver them to laboratories and clinicians around the world via our global diagnostics partners, addressing the unmet medical need for blood-based biomarkers.”

Under the terms of the collaboration, Biogen will provide Alzheimer’s clinical study data and expertise in biomarker research to prioritize markers for tau pathology. Fujirebio and Beckman Coulter will be responsible for providing diagnostic development, manufacturing and commercialization.