Diagnostic Program

We are developing an objective detection mechanism for PTSD. Our diagnostic takes advantage of brain imaging technology in order to visualize our PTSD biomarker, calcium permeable AMPA receptors, in real-time. Our first patent-pending radiotracer, NVL-1, was developed in mid-2017. Since then, we have developed and synthesized a novel class of tracers.

Currently, PTSD is diagnosed with subjective and ambiguous checklists after symptoms have manifested. The checklist method (using either the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID) – PTSD Module, or the Clinical Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)/Life Events Checklist) relies on self-report and self-assessment, leading to both underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. Furthermore, the current diagnosis certainly does not inform course of treatment.

With our portfolio radiotracers, we aim to diagnose PTSD faster and more accurately than ever before. Optimization, pre-clinical validation, and additional development are underway.

Our diagnostic tracer has potential applications beyond PTSD for use with other GluA1-implicated disorders, such as epilepsy and traumatic brain injury (TBI).