We dont know the exact cause of autism it has both environmental and genetic influences but we do know that prevalence has increased tenfold in the past few decades, and that early intervention is critical for its treatment.
Key to early intervention, of course, is early diagnosis.
Boston-area startup SynapDx is developing a blood test to help diagnose autism, with aims to bring the age of diagnosis much lower than it istoday. Its test, which identifies biomarkers that the company itself has found associated with autism, is meant to be given to kids who are showing symptoms of an autism spectrum disorder.
Our idea was to create a simple blood test to look at markers in the blood associated with autism, but not with other developmental disorders, CEO Stanley Lapidus said.
So far, the companys finding that the test is showing 90 percent sensitivity, but Lapidus iskeeping mum on when it plans to commercialize its product. But its certainly well-capitalized for the job -since its launchin 2009, SynapDx has raised about $34 million, with its mostrecent round of $15.4 millionprovided by Google Ventures in 2013.
SynapDx has been cherry-picked to be featured in next weeks TedMed Hive.
Autism prevalence has skyrocketed in the past couple decades; about 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism, according to the CDC. While its a painful diagnosis for a family to receive, not only do the severity of symptoms vary, but early interventional treatment has been shown to work wonders in many patients. Because of this, early diagnosis is critical to make the most impact in a child with this diagnosis. Indeed,the label of autism can even be removed entirely in about 20 percent of kids who receive behavioral therapy.
The problem, however, is that the median age for diagnosis is around four years of age. But parents start noticing somethings amiss around 18 months of age but its difficult to pinpoint whether a child has autism, or is simply developmentally delayed and will soon catch up. SynapDx aims to bring the age of diagnosismuch lower, to help parents start therapy faster. Its currently conducting a study in 880 kids, age 18 months to 5 years, across the U.S. and Canada to determine not only the tests efficacy, but the age in which it can be diagnosed. So far, the autism test is showing about 90 percent sensitivity at the high end,Lapidus said.
Heres a video from the company that describes how the SynapDx test works. In brief: The test measures the amounts of RNA copied from a number of genes associated with autism; as RNA and the resulting proteins it codes for dictate many functions in the body, including brain development, measuring the RNA expression levels could provide a clue into how likely a child is to have an autism spectrum disorder.
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SynapDx developing diagnostic test for autism spectrum disorder