A blood test to diagnose bipolar disorder will be marketed from April 1, 2024 in France.
- A blood test to detect bipolar disorder will be marketed from April 1, 2024.
- Prescribed by a psychiatrist, it helps differentiate depression from bipolar disorders.
- It is not reimbursed by Health Insurance and costs between 800 and 900 euros.
The diagnosis of bipolar disorder takes a new turn. From April 1, the biopharmaceutical company Alcediag will market a blood test to distinguish these disorders from depression. “The myEDIT-B test can drastically reduce the time it takes to diagnose bipolar disorders: from 8 years on average to less than a month.”announces the company in a communicated.
Bipolar disorder: why use a blood test?
Bipolar disorders are characterized by the alternation of manic or hypomanic phases, known as “phases up” and depressive phases, called “phases down”.”To date, the diagnosis is based on the psychiatric clinical examination of the patient, carried out by a specialist doctor using validated questionnaires and assessment scales, recalls the press release. However, one in 2 bipolar patients had an incorrect initial diagnosis, often confused with a Characterized Depressive Episode (depression), the symptoms of which are similar to those of the depressive phases of bipolar disorders..”
However, depression and bipolar disorders are not treated in the same way. In the absence of appropriate treatment, people with bipolar disorder are exposed to various risks: social isolation, academic or professional difficulties, addictions, dangerous behavior (sexual, financial, etc.), sleep disorders. According to High Authority of Health, one in two patients will make at least one suicide attempt in their life and 15% will die by suicide. “An early and accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorders, allowing the implementation of appropriate treatment, is the key to avoiding a chain of events with serious consequences for the mental and physical health of patients as well as their quality of life and that of their loved ones.”estimates Aceldiag.
How does the blood test work to diagnose bipolar disorder?
The myEDIT-B test will therefore aim to accelerate diagnosis. It will be prescribed by a psychiatrist, who will continue to use, in parallel, the usual tools to carry out a clinical assessment. Then, the patient will have to go to a Synlab laboratory, a partner of the company, to take the blood test before it is analyzed. “Technically, myEDIT-B measures RNA editing changes of specific markers in patients’ blood. warns the company. Thanks to sequencing and an algorithm developed especially for the test, scientists have developed a “signature differential” to distinguish depression from bipolar disorder based on 8 DNA sequences. “The excellent performance of the myEDIT-B test has, to date, been evaluated by ALCEDIAG through two studies clinical studies carried out on independent cohorts, with sensitivity and specificity greater than 80%”she announces.
Bipolar disorder: a test not covered by Health Insurance
According to 20 minutes, the test will cost between 800 and 900 euros and will not be reimbursed by Health Insurance. “We have ten years of investment on our own funds, Alexandra Prieux, president of Alcediag, told the media. The development of this test was very expensive. We used the latest sequencing technologies.” Studies are underway to ultimately obtain coverage by Health Insurance.
