Cytox signs licence agreement with Cardiff University for polygenic risk score technology key to development of lead product genoSCORE(TM)

2nd September 2020: Oxford & Manchester, UK. Cytox Ltd, which provides non-invasive, risk assessment and patient stratification tools for Alzheimer's disease and dementia, has signed a license agreement with Cardiff University to access the University’s Intellectual Property regarding polygenic risk scoring algorithms for predicting the future onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Under the terms of the licence, Cytox will gain exclusive commercialisation rights to intellectual property (IP) and know-how generated under its ongoing collaboration with Cardiff University. Additionally, Cytox will gain non-exclusive rights to further IP from Cardiff University.

Cytox is incorporating the technology defined within the licence in the development of genoSCORETM, a genetic risk assessment tool to identify people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. genoSCORE^TM improves clinical trial patient recruitment enrichment to Alzheimer’s disease clinical studies; it also aids physicians in the management of patients in clinical practice. Cytox expects to launch genoSCORE as a product registered for professional use in the US and Europe, towards the end of 2020.

Dr Richard Pither, CEO of Cytox commented, “Cardiff University is one of the world-leading institutions developing polygenic risk scoring algorithms in neurological disorders. Following a successful collaboration funded by Innovate-UK, Cytox is very pleased to secure a licence agreement to allow further development and commercialisation of the technology. Cytox is committed to enabling improvements in clinical research and development, and future clinical practice in Alzheimer’s disease.”

 Professor Julie Williams, Centre Director, UK Dementia Research Institute Cardiff, said: "We are pleased to be working with CYTOX as the company seeks to identify individuals at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is important that we use our research findings to benefit clinical trial design, future clinical practice, and wider society."