U.S. Patent for Blood Tests Distinguishing Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Laguna Diagnostics, a California-based biotechnology firm specializing in blood-based tests for psychiatric conditions, has received its second U.S. patent for innovative biomarkers that enable rapid differentiation between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The patent, covering methods to analyze gene expression in blood samples, promises to address a critical gap in mental health care where misdiagnoses are rampant and delays in accurate treatment can span years. This development positions the company in a burgeoning segment of the diagnostics market, valued at around $3 billion annually for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder management, amid rising demand for objective tools in precision psychiatry. The Patent and Its Technological Foundation The newly granted patent outlines a diagnostic approach that examines messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels from 18 specific genes in a patient’s blood. The process involves a multi-step analysis: identifying biomarker patterns, computing probabilities of disorder…

