ATED Therapeutics Develops Simple Blood Test for Parkinson’s
ATED Therapeutics Ltd. has announced the development of a new, rapid diagnostic test for Parkinson’s disease. Created in collaboration with researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the test uses a novel approach to detect specific biomarkers—transfer RNA fragments (tRFs)—found in nucleated red blood cells.
This innovative method offers a simpler, non-invasive way to aid in the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s, a condition that often remains undetected until symptoms become pronounced.
The findings were published in the April 2025 issue of Nature Aging and were recently presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Related Neurologic Diseases, held in Vienna, Austria, on April 2.
Diagnosing Parkinson’s disease has long relied on clinical observation and subjective assessments. Currently, there is no widely available, reliable blood test for the disease. Physicians must evaluate a patient’s physical symptoms—primarily movement-related issues—which only appear after the disease has significantly progressed. This method has a 20% to 25% error rate and often delays diagnosis until irreversible damage has occurred.
Another diagnostic option involves a spinal tap to analyze cerebrospinal fluid. While more precise, this method is invasive, uncomfortable, expensive, and still limited in its ability to track disease progression over time.
Now, a breakthrough from researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with ATED Therapeutics Ltd., promises to transform the landscape of Parkinson’s diagnosis and monitoring. The team has developed a simple, cost-effective, and highly reliable blood test that offers early detection and progression tracking of the disease—all through a standard blood draw.
A New Era in Parkinson’s Diagnosis
The new test measures specific biomarkers—transfer RNA fragments (tRFs)—found in nucleated red blood cells. These biomarkers have shown strong potential for identifying Parkinson’s disease at earlier stages than traditional methods allow. The results of this research were published in the April 2025 issue of Nature Aging and presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Related Neurologic Diseases held in Vienna, Austria, on April 2.
“Hebrew University and ATED have developed a simple, reliable, cost-effective blood test that will change the way Parkinson’s is diagnosed,” said Dr. Jeff R. Swarz, CEO of ATED Therapeutics. “This technology allows clinicians not only to accurately identify patients with Parkinson’s earlier in the disease process but also to monitor how the disease is progressing over time.”
This marks a critical advancement in the field of neurodegenerative disease, where timely intervention can make a significant difference in a patient’s quality of life.
Monitoring Treatment Response, Including Deep Brain Stimulation
One of the key strengths of the test is its ability to measure responses to therapy. In particular, it can monitor the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS), a common treatment for Parkinson’s that involves the surgical implantation of a device to deliver electrical stimulation to specific brain areas. Until now, evaluating the effectiveness of DBS relied heavily on observational data and patient reporting. The new blood test offers a quantifiable and objective method to measure treatment outcomes.
“This test provides a powerful tool not only for diagnosis but also for ongoing patient management,” said Dr. Hermona Soreq, lead author of the Nature Aging paper. “The availability of an early, reliable, and rapid blood test for Parkinson’s can alleviate the burden of uncertainty for patients and their families.”
Dr. Soreq added, “It can assist clinicians in providing timely care and open new avenues for the development and testing of novel therapeutics.”
Pre-Symptomatic Detection and Broader Implications
Because the test can potentially detect the disease before visible symptoms appear, it could pave the way for pre-symptomatic screening—something currently unavailable for Parkinson’s. Early detection not only improves patient outcomes but also supports research and clinical trials by identifying individuals at earlier stages of the disease.
“The reliability, sensitivity, speed, and low cost of our assay may all indicate its value for enabling improved, universal, pre-symptomatic Parkinson’s diagnosis,” said Dr. Soreq. “This can improve detection rates and help deliver more personalized and timely treatments for patients at various stages of the disease.”
About ATED Therapeutics
ATED Therapeutics Ltd. is a private biotechnology company focused on developing cutting-edge diagnostics and therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders. With a mission to transform patient care through innovative, science-backed solutions, ATED is at the forefront of neurodegenerative disease research.
In 2024, the company was recognized as a finalist in Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas” awards, reflecting its growing impact in the healthcare innovation space.
