CHICAGO and SEATTLE — Neurogen Biomarking and Tasso, Inc. have entered a partnership that will integrate Tasso’s virtually painless, needle-free blood collection technology into Neurogen’s home-based Alzheimer’s testing ecosystem. The collaboration is designed to expand access to Alzheimer’s-related biomarker testing by offering a simple, comfortable, patient-friendly collection option that can be used in the home.
Neurogen combines blood-based biomarker analysis with a digital cognitive assessment to help identify individuals who may be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Licensed blood-collection specialists visit patients’ homes to obtain samples using the Tasso+ device along with a traditional draw. Samples are processed in certified laboratories, and results are reviewed virtually by board-certified neurologists, giving individuals clinically guided next steps. As the holder of intellectual property covering the application of its biomarker test, Neurogen remains the only organization able to deploy its methodology at scale for Alzheimer’s-related biomarker evaluation.
“Neurogen is on a fast-track to becoming the global entry point for early evaluation of Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers,” said Dr. Rany Aburashed, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Neurogen Biomarking. “The addition of Tasso’s technology to our ecosystem creates a streamlined, scalable at-home experience designed to make Alzheimer’s-related testing more accessible.”
Research presented by Neurogen at the 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference demonstrated that Tasso’s collection system yields samples suitable for Alzheimer’s biomarker analysis. The study, presented by Elisabeth Thijssen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Neurogen, showed strong correlation between samples collected via Tasso and those obtained through traditional venipuncture. Neurogen’s integrated approach — combining in-home biomarker collection, cognitive assessment and virtual neurological consultation — suggests the platform can reduce delays that often prevent patients from receiving timely evaluation.
“Making blood collection more patient-centric is key to ensuring everyone who needs testing has access to it,” said Ben Casavant, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Tasso. “Our virtually painless collection technology offers individuals a simple and comfortable way to provide blood samples. We’re pleased that Neurogen has chosen to include our device as part of their service model.”
The need for improved access to early cognitive-health evaluation is significant. Roughly 40 percent of Americans aged 65 and older — more than 16 million people — experience some level of memory impairment. Yet fewer than 8 percent of adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment receive a formal diagnosis. Today, it often takes five to seven years between symptom onset and diagnosis, with fewer than one in five Alzheimer’s diagnoses involving biomarker testing. Neurogen’s platform, currently in beta, aims to shorten the path from concern to clinical clarity to as little as five to seven months through at-home biomarker collection and telehealth-based neurological review.
The partnership with Tasso supports Neurogen’s broader goal of building a scalable, globally accessible system for Alzheimer’s biomarker testing and cognitive-health services.
