Finalist for the 2026 Better World Project Award

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains a global challenge, as conventional methods rely on costly and invasive procedures such as PET brain scans or lumbar punctures. To address this, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) researchers, led by Professor Nancy Ip, developed patented blood biomarker assays that provide precise, stage-specific indicators of AD from a simple blood draw. Building on the world’s first large-scale proteomics study of AD, the team identified proteins associated with AD and later developed 21-protein diagnostic panels, enabling early detection and staging of the disease with 96% accuracy across ethnic groups.

Exclusive rights to HKUST’s biomarker assays were licensed to Cognitact Limited, a spinout founded to commercialize the technology. Cognitact is supported by both private investments and government funding to further advance the assay for clinical development and commercialization. Another spinout, Editact Therapeutics Ltd., focused on developing new therapeutics to modulate gene expression and function using genome editing approaches, is under development to expand the platform’s therapeutic and diagnostic potential.

Since 2019, the assays have transformed AD diagnostics. Validated in large-scale studies, they achieved 96% accuracy in detecting early-stage AD across ethnic groups. Within six months of their 2025 launch, Cognitact’s PlasmarkAD® ProMax and PlasmarkAD® Pro were adopted by 10 private hospitals, nine medical groups, and more than 40 clinics in Hong Kong, directly benefiting more than 1,000 patients and families through earlier diagnosis and timely intervention. These innovations cut diagnostic costs up to 88% compared with PET imaging, accelerate recruitment into AD drug trials, and strengthen Hong Kong’s role as a hub for precision medicine. Importantly, the work aligns with Healthy China 2030 and the 14th Five-Year Plan on Healthy Ageing. In 2022, President Xi Jinping publicly acknowledged HKUST’s contributions during his visit to the InnoHK Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, underscoring their role in advancing China’s goal of building Hong Kong into a global innovation hub.

HKUST’s Office of Knowledge Transfer (OKT) was pivotal in moving the biomarker research from lab to clinic. The Office secured patents in China and the U.S., negotiated licenses, and provided entrepreneurship support to establish Cognitact and Editact. Cognitact was also nominated by OKT as a Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities awardee under the Innovation and Technology Commission, securing critical early-stage backing. OKT further guided the teams through government programs, including two rounds of Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme funding and Innovation and Technology Fund grants.

This support accelerated progress from discovery to regulated products, opening new frontiers in Alzheimer’s management. By coupling pioneering research with effective technology transfer, HKUST and its spinouts are delivering profound health, economic, and societal benefits, exemplifying a transformative academia–industry collaboration that is changing lives.
 

---

This story was originally published in 2025.