EDIT-B launches the first blood test that can differentiate bipolar disorder from depression in France

On 30 March to mark World Bipolar Day, we are pleased to announce the launch in France of the myEDIT-B innovative blood diagnostic test which can differentiate between depression and bipolar disorder.

To celebrate the launch, we have produced a short film, in collaboration with the EDIT-B consortium, to shed light on this innovative solution. Featuring two women diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the film underscores how an earlier detection of the condition could have been lifechanging. Their story is part of our Spotlight series, which unveils some of our most powerful healthcare innovations.

myEDIT-B, which was launched in Italy in 2023, two years earlier than originally anticipated, is now available in France thanks to consortium member SYNLAB’s extensive network of laboratories. The solution has already undergone clinical validation in two studies on independent cohorts, and is CE IVD marked, boasting sensitivity and specificity rates above 80% [1].

With no equivalent test on the market, the main objective of the myEDIT-B test is to provide objective biological data to help psychiatrists and physicians provide an accurate diagnosis that drastically reduces delays to within four weeks. This could make a significant difference to those unknowingly living with bipolar disorder – in fact out of the 300 million people currently diagnosed with depression, 40% could be misdiagnosed and potentially have the disorder [2] putting them at an increased risk of developing comorbidities through receiving inappropriate treatment [3]. Misdiagnosis can also negatively affect healthcare systems, the societal cost of just one-year’s delay in diagnosis is estimated at €50k per patient in Europe [4].

Isabel, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2009, and features in the film shares, “For me an earlier diagnosis would have meant everything because it would have saved me a very hard and very difficult stage of my life… the sooner you get the news you can start to get your life in order and that’s paramount for a person that is ill.”

As well as providing critical funding to kick-start the project, EIT Health supported ALCEDIAG in their journey to market by connecting them with the right Partners.

Jean Marc Bourez, CEO of EIT Health said: “I am proud to see that, following its successful launch in Italy last year, two years ahead of schedule, the EDIT-B consortium has now launched myEDIT-B in France. Led by our Partner ALCEDIAG, a subsidiary of Alcen Group, with the rollout ably supported by SYNLAB, myEDIT-B is tackling the challenge of diagnosing bipolar disorder accurately and quickly. At the same time, they are supporting EIT Health’s main mission to help citizens live healthier and longer lives by putting the spotlight on mental health which is key to the proper care management and wellbeing of our communities.”

Alexandra Prieux, CEO of ALCEDIAG, shared: “EIT Health’s role in EDIT-B’s success cannot be overstated. They not only shared our vision for innovation but also provided unwavering support. The EIT Health network’s strength enabled us to form a robust consortium with industrial partners like SYNLAB and clinicians like Professor Eduard Vieta and Professor Chantal Henry, whose collaboration extended beyond the project’s initial scope to deliver this innovation to European citizens“.

“Alcediag is in close contact with the community of psychiatrists, patient associations and patients, in order to understand their needs and try to respond to them as best as possible. In this regard, the ALCEDIAG is particularly interested in the response to treatment (antidepressant, mood stabilizer or antipsychotic) in adult patients suffering from mood disorders and is also in the diagnosis of schizophrenia.”

The EIT Health consortium brings together prominent members from across Europe: Alcediag, Alcen, Capital Region of Denmark, Fundació Clinic per la Recerca Biomèdica, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, ProductLife Group, and Synlab. With a total budget of € 5.2 million, EDIT-B is co-funded by EIT Health (€ 2.5M).

Watch the short film to find out more about ALCEDIAG’s discovery

[1] Salvetat, N. (2021). A game changer for bipolar disorder diagnosis using RNA editing-based biomarkers. Translational Psychiatry, 89(9) 201.

[2] Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation. (2022). Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx). [online] Available at: <http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool?params=gbd-api-2019-permalink/d780dffbe8a381b25e1416884959e88b> [Accessed 18 March 2024].

[3] Singh and Rajput (2006), Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006 Oct; 3(10): 57–63.

[4] Global Burden of Disease Study 2004; DKFZ