Blood Test for TBI Licensed for Use and Development on Abbot Laboratory Instruments

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved blood test for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, may become more widely available soon. The blood test (Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator; Banyan Biomarkers, San Diego, CA) has been licensed to Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL) for use on their core laboratory devices and further development for use at the point of care. 

The blood tests measure plasma levels of the biomarkers ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) that are released from the brain when concussion occurs. If availabl at the point of care, these blood tests may improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosing brain injuries. 

“When a physician sees someone in the emergency room with a suspected brain injury, it is critical that we have objective measurements and tests available,” said Beth McQuiston, MD, RD, neurologist and medical director, diagnostics at Abbott. “Using novel biomarkers like these will help us develop both point-of-care and core laboratory blood tests for clinicians to assess brain injuries.”