AmyScan Healthcare Pvt Ltd aims to develop diagnostic tests for various illnesses by detecting and amplifying ultra-low concentrations of specific amyloid seeds in circulation or secretion.

AmyScan is now working with patented technology developed at IIT Bombay for blood-based diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The blood test identifies ultra-low levels of circulating α-synuclein amyloid in blood, indicative of Parkinson’s disease. The test amplifies these ultra-low concentrations of the amyloid, similar to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using patient blood serum, the blood test’s efficacy in accurately detecting Parkinson’s disease is shown to be at a sensitivity of > 90% and specificity of >88%. This data was filed for Indian and US patents a few years back and is awaiting approval. The method prototype has been optimized and is now ready for large-scale trial.

Further, the startup aims for the possibility of early PD detection using this technology, which may represent a paradigm shift in PD care, offering the potential to intervene at a stage where treatment interventions may be most effective in slowing disease progression.

The startup also aims to differentiate between Parkinsonism, PD and PSP.