Cytox

About Cytox

Cytox Limited is a biotechnology company headquartered in Oxford, UK, focused on the significant challenge of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Founded in 2004 by a team including Zsuzsanna Nagy, Margaret Esiri, Roy Bicknell, and James S. Chadwick, the company's origins are rooted in academic research from institutions like the University of Birmingham. The firm is led by CEO Dr. Richard Pither, who joined in 2013 and brought over two decades of experience in developing diagnostic and therapeutic products at major companies like GE Healthcare. His background includes extensive work on a PET amyloid imaging product for AD, aligning directly with Cytox's mission.

Cytox addresses the critical need for early risk assessment in a market where the global prevalence of dementia is projected to rise dramatically. The company's core offering is its genoSCORE™ technology, a polygenic risk score (PRS) test that analyzes over 100,000 genetic variations (SNPs) from a simple saliva or blood sample to calculate an individual's lifetime risk of cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's. This approach provides a more comprehensive risk profile than single-gene tests, such as those for the APOE4 allele, by offering a detailed stratification for all individuals, regardless of their APOE4 status. The test is non-invasive, making it a more accessible alternative to costly PET scans or invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) extractions.

The company operates on a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) model. It commercializes its technology through partnerships with clinical laboratories and healthcare distributors. In the US, Cytox partnered with Infinity BiologiX (IBX) and Vanguard Pharma to launch the IBX Alzheimer's Risk Test, which is available for physician use. In the UK, the test is marketed as genoSCORE-ACT. Cytox also provides biomarker services to pharmaceutical companies, using its technology to aid in patient stratification for clinical trials of new AD drugs. This helps researchers select candidates most likely to decline cognitively during a study, potentially improving trial outcomes. The genoSCORE-LAB test has received a CE mark in Europe, allowing its commercialization there, and is offered as a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) in the US, which currently does not require FDA approval.