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Neuron Cell-Death Test

NeuroLens

Older woman discussing a clinical diagnosis with a female doctor who is reviewing a tablet in a medical office.

NeuroLens is Renew Biotechnologies’ nanopore-based liquid biopsy platform for profiling neuron-associated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation signatures from blood.

By combining native methylation sequencing, proprietary library preparation, brain methylation atlas generation, and cell-of-origin deconvolution algorithms, NeuroLens supports neuron-resolved investigation of neurodegeneration.

Built on whole-genome nanopore sequencing, NeuroLens profiles cfDNA without bisulfite conversion, PCR amplification, or predefined array content, supporting neurodegeneration research and biomarker development.

NeuroLens Supports Molecular Characterization and Longitudinal Monitoring of Neurodegeneration

Molecular Characterization

Generate Multiomic Insights Into Neurological Disease Biology

Neurodegeneration Research

Generate molecular insights into pathways and mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration.

Cohort Stratification

Identify biologically distinct patient subgroups for research and translational applications.

Neurological Disease Expansion

Enable future research applications across broader neurological and neurodegenerative conditions.

Longitudinal Monitoring

Track Disease Dynamics and Molecular Change Over Time

Disease Progression Monitoring

Characterize longitudinal biological changes associated with neurodegenerative disease progression.

Therapeutic Response Research

Assess molecular changes associated with therapeutic intervention and treatment response.

Longitudinal Cohort Analysis

Support repeated-measures and time-series study designs across patient populations.

NeuroLens Differentiation

Key Advantages

Disease-agnostic detection of neurodegeneration across neurological conditions

Cell-type-informed neuroanatomic resolution beyond aggregate injury biomarkers

Real-time monitoring of active cell death and therapeutic response

Expandable atlas framework supporting future neural and peripheral cell types

Platform Architecture / Workflow

Primary Brain Methylation Atlas Generation

Proprietary cfDNA Library Preparation

Native cfDNA Methylation Sequencing

Cell-of-Origin System Deconvolution

Classifier Refinement & Expansion

The NeuroLens Report

NeuroLens reports provide estimated cfDNA contributions by cell type, reported as a relative percentage of total cfDNA, enabling evaluation of neuron- and glia-associated cfDNA patterns across neurodegeneration studies.

Current research-use assay includes:
Cortical neurons
Dopaminergic neurons
Spinal motor neurons
Astrocytes
Microglia
Schwann cells

Regulatory Status

Research-use assay currently available. Validation for laboratory-developed test (LDT) is anticipated to be completed in July 2026.

NeuroLens DNA report shows elevated cortical and dopaminergic cfDNA, with charts of cell type levels over time.

Proof-of-Concept Clinical Performance

Current blood-based biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease primarily reflect aggregate pathology or generalized neuronal injury, providing limited insight into which neuronal populations are affected. NeuroLens addresses this limitation through native cfDNA methylation sequencing and brain cell-type-informed deconvolution.

Cell-type cfDNA classifiers were evaluated in in silico mixtures (Figure 1), then applied to 137 plasma samples from AD, MCI, PD, ALS, and controls (Figures 2–3). Combined neuron classifiers supported disease-group separation in multi-disease contexts, demonstrating the liquid biopsy potential of cfDNA methylation deconvolution.

$NeuroLens validation scatter plots comparing predicted and true cfDNA cell fractions across neuronal and glial cell types.$

Figure 1. In silico dilution testing supports classifier accuracy across neural cell types. Correlation plots show NeuroLens classifier performance across cfDNA-like mixtures, comparing predicted versus expected cell-type fractions after fragmented neural-cell reads were added to a human plasma cfDNA background. Classifiers were evaluated for primary cortical (A), dopaminergic (B), and spinal motor neurons (C), astrocytes (D), Schwann cells (E), microglia (F), and iPSC-derived neurons (G–I). Strong linearity was observed when classifiers were matched to their reference cell type.

Graphs showing cfDNA reads classified as cortical, dopaminergic, and spinal motor neurons across neurological conditions.

Figure 2. Neuron-associated cfDNA methylation signals reflect disease-relevant neurodegeneration. NeuroLens cortical (A), dopaminergic (B), and spinal motor neuron (C) classifiers were applied to plasma samples from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and healthy controls. Elevated neuron-derived cfDNA signals were observed in the neuronal populations most closely associated with each disease. Individual neuron classifier scores were visualized in two- and three-dimensional space, demonstrating disease-associated clustering across AD, PD, and ALS cohorts (D–F).

Six ROC curves comparing sensitivity and false positive rates for AD, MCI, PD, ALS across brain regions and combined data.

Figure 3. Classifiers combining signatures from multiple neuron types predict disease in multi-disease contexts. Combined NeuroLens classifiers integrating cortical, dopaminergic, and spinal motor neuron-like methylation signatures were evaluated in plasma samples from individuals with AD, PD, ALS, and healthy controls. ROC analyses demonstrated strong disease-versus-control performance (A–C) and maintained discrimination in multi-disease comparisons (D–F), supporting integrated neuron-associated cfDNA methylation profiling for neurodegeneration.

Strategic Partners
& Research Collaborators

Partner with Renew to advance neuron-associated cfDNA profiling through expanded atlases, clinical cohorts, and translational studies.

Partnership Inquiry

Questions & Answers

What does NeuroLens measure in blood?

NeuroLens is designed to measure circulating cell-free DNA in the blood as a non-invasive readout of active cellular injury in the brain. The test identifies and quantifies methylation patterns associated with specific neuron and glial cell types.

What brain cell types does NeuroLens report on?

NeuroLens reports on cfDNA methylation signals associated with cortical neurons, dopaminergic neurons, spinal motor neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and Schwann cells.

How is NeuroLens different from traditional neurodegeneration biomarkers?

Traditional blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration measure proteins associated with neuronal injury and neuroinflammation but provide limited insight into where neurodegeneration is occurring in the brain. NeuroLens measures cell-free DNA methylation signatures associated with specific brain cell types, providing a blood-based readout of neurodegeneration with the potential for greater cellular and regional insight.

What applications is NeuroLens being developed to support?

NeuroLens is being developed to support neurodegenerative disease research, clinical studies, and future clinical applications, including patient stratification, disease activity assessment, longitudinal monitoring, and evaluation of therapeutic response.

What sample type is required for NeuroLens?

NeuroLens analyzes cell-free DNA extracted from human blood plasma. Sample collection, processing, submission, and volume requirements are provided in Renew's sample collection and testing instructions.

How should samples be collected and shipped for NeuroLens testing?

NeuroLens plasma samples should be collected, processed, and shipped according to Renew's NeuroLens Sample Handling Instructions. To preserve cfDNA quality for methylation analysis, samples should arrive at the laboratory within 5–7 days of collection.

What information is included in a NeuroLens report?

NeuroLens reports provide quantitative, relative cfDNA estimates by brain cell type based on cell-type-associated methylation signals. Reports also include age-referenced interpretation, assay performance metrics, and sample-level quality control.

Explore NeuroLens for Your Research Program

Apply native cfDNA methylation sequencing and atlas-driven deconvolution to neurodegeneration, liquid biopsy, and translational biomarker studies. Contact us to discuss pilot projects, research access, and study design.