Eli Lilly Gets Approval for Brain Plaque Test
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a test that would help doctors detect brain plaque to rule out Alzheimer's disease in patients, according to a Reuters report.
The radioactive dye, called Amyvid, attaches to clumps of beta amyloid, a toxic protein accumulating in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The report said doctors can see the plaque light up due to the dye on a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
Eli Lilly and Co. said the test should not be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, according to the report. The company said brain plaque may occur naturally in older people with normal mental states.
An FDA advisory panel recommended against the dye last year, but Eli Lilly said it worked with doctors to find better ways of interpreting the test.
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Reuters - U.S. gives nod to Eli Lilly's brain plaque test