New advances in depression treatment reduce drug trial time by up to nine times

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Tel Aviv, two Israeli neurologists have just launched a new blood test that is expected to help determine the response of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to common antidepressants.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, affecting more than 330 million people worldwide . Currently, treatment methods are largely based on a lengthy trial-and-error process, causing patients to spend years searching for the right medication.

In Israel, after 23 months of continuous conflict, the need for effective mental health treatment has become more urgent than ever.

The blood test, developed by the two founders, Dr. Talia Cohen Solal and Dr. Daphna Laifenfeld, of the health technology startup NeuroKaire, opens the door to personalized treatment for mental disorders.

Based on the test results, the doctor can determine the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient.

Dr. Cohen Solal shared: “For a long time, patients with clinical depression have had to go through a grueling treatment process before finding an effective medication. Only about one-third of patients improve with treatment, while the remaining two-thirds require multiple changes in medication or dosage.”

She said that the average drug trial period currently lasts from 12 to 18 months. "We are shortening that process to just two months."

The new test, called BrightKaire, uses stem cells taken from the patient's blood to create neurons in the frontal lobe of the brain – the area most associated with mental disorders.

These cells were then tested for their response to 70 different antidepressants, helping to determine the most effective medication or treatment regimen for each individual.

AI-powered analytical technology uses genetic data, medical history, and microscopic images of nerve cells to produce detailed reports, including the effectiveness of each drug and its potential side effects.

Dr. Cohen Solal explained: “Depression is a decrease in brain connectivity, often manifesting as a lack of motivation. With our ‘brain in a petri dish’ platform, we can directly observe the level of connectivity between neurons after drug exposure and turn that data into a quantitative indicator.”

She emphasized, "Our technology not only shows whether the drug gets into the brain, but also what the drug actually does in the brain."

BrightKaire technology has just received a Laboratory Development Authorization (LDT) for its test from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, marking a significant step forward: it is the first clinical test based on neurons grown from blood.

According to Dr. Cohen Solal, approximately 100 psychiatrists are currently using this test to prescribe treatment.

However, according to Professor Mark Weiser, Head of Psychiatry at Sheba Medical Center, this technology still needs further verification through large-scale clinical trials.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/buoc-tien-moi-trong-dieu-tri-tram-cam-giup-thoi-gian-thu-thuoc-giam-den-9-lan-post1063031.vnp