Quest Diagnostics Extends Alzheimer's Disease Portfolio with New AI-Powered Test Service from uMETHOD Health

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May 04, 2023, 07:00 ET

The collaboration aims to help physicians improve detection and care of potentially treatable causes of cognitive decline

SECAUCUS, N.J. and RALEIGH, N.C., May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced nationwide availability of the RestoreU^™Dementia Panel, a risk assessment and care plan service created by uMETHOD Health, a health technology company specializing in precision medicine for chronic diseases, to help physicians close care gaps for patients with cognitive decline.

The RestoreU service employs artificial intelligence (AI) developed by uMETHOD to create personalized care plans aimed at helping physicians improve patient care while also satisfying cognitive care guidelines*. The service incorporates results of laboratory tests ordered by physicians from Quest Diagnostics along with the patient's health history, including comorbidities, lifestyle habits and medications. uMETHOD's AI platform then assesses 50-plus risk factors, pinpointing areas of concern and ultimately generating a personalized care plan with evidence-based, actionable treatment recommendations.

With insights from the report, physicians may identify potentially reversible causes of cognitive decline, such as medication side effects or hormonal imbalances, that mimic dementia. The report may also help identify measures to potentially slow or, if possible, halt dementia disease progression. Care plans may include pharmacological and supplementation-based treatment and lifestyle habit recommendations, which the physician can use to counsel the patient. The RestoreU service is an adjunct to, and not intended to replace, the physician's judgment.

"With so much attention on emerging therapies for Alzheimer's disease, it is easy to overlook the growing body of science suggesting a preventive care approach can help delay the onset of Alzheimer's and other dementias in some patients," said Michael K. Racke, M.D., Neurology Medical Director, Quest Diagnostics. "In addition, not all cognitive disorders signify dementia and may, in some cases, be due to reversible causes. RestoreU provides robust personalized insights to help the physician tease out the confounding factors causing a patient's cognitive decline and identify measures that may help improve care and outcomes."

The RestoreU service complements Quest's comprehensive portfolio of dementia laboratory services, featuring the company's advanced AD-Detect Amyloid Beta (AB) 42/40 Ratio blood test for assessing risk of Alzheimer's disease. RestoreU can help the physician further refine this risk assessment, identify alternative possible causes of cognitive dysfunction and inform care.

"For the first time in history, disease modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease are available for clinical care," said Marwan Sabbagh, MD, FAAN, Behavioral-Cognitive Neurologist and a Professor of Neurology. "However, treating cognitive decline patients continues to be a complex process as most patients have multiple treatable causes. The advanced RestoreU care plan can provide a thorough answer for the physician and the patient on possible causes of cognitive decline and how to address them. The RestoreU service has helped me improve the care I deliver and may enable primary care clinicians to deliver the same level of care within the practical constraints of today's busy clinical practice."

RestoreU is available through a collaborative agreement between Quest Diagnostics and uMETHOD, marking the first time the service is available nationwide to physicians. Provider clients of Quest Diagnostics may order the service (as "Dementia Panel – RestoreU") through their electronic health record system. For more information, visit www.QuestForTheCure.com.

Through its Quest Advanced™ Neurology services and Athena Diagnostics specialty neurology business, Quest Diagnostics provides more than 400 neurology tests based on next generation sequencing, tandem mass spectrometry, bioinformatics and other advanced technologies.

*RestoreU may help physicians satisfy service elements of cognitive care planning as defined under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

About Dementia

Dementia is characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and cognitive functioning, and is often unrecognized in affected patients. More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's, the most prevalent dementia, a number projected to reach 14 million by 2060. Dementia is largely due to factors outside of an individual's control, such as advanced age and genetics. Yet, growing evidence suggests preventive measures, from physical exercise to social interaction, may reduce risk of dementia. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added a new goal to its decade-old National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease focused specifically on accelerating action to reduce risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias to help delay onset or slow progression.

In addition, not all cognitive dysfunction or decline is due to dementia and may be due to reversible causes, such as medication side effects or treatable hormonal imbalances.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. Learn more at www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

About uMETHOD Health

uMETHOD Health offers sophisticated precision-medicine methodologies that empower physicians to better manage the care and outcomes of complex chronic diseases through customized care. The RestoreU METHOD is designed to simultaneously address the underlying causes of cognitive decline in a manner that is tailored to each patient. For more information, visit www.uMETHOD.com.

SOURCE Quest Diagnostics