Bio-Techne Corporation has announced the launch of Simple Plex® Ultra-Sensitive Assays on the Ella Platform, marking a major advance in the detection of low-abundance neurological biomarkers in blood at femtogram concentrations.
The new assays are designed to overcome one of the most persistent challenges in neuroscience research: the difficulty of reliably measuring extremely low biomarker levels in accessible biofluids such as blood. By delivering a step-change in analytical sensitivity on the Ella automated benchtop platform, the assays enable earlier and more precise insights into neurodegenerative disease biology.
Addressing a critical bottleneck in neurological biomarker research
Early detection of neurodegenerative diseases has historically been limited by the scarcity of relevant biomarkers in peripheral samples. Proteins associated with neuronal injury or degeneration often circulate at concentrations below the detection limits of conventional immunoassays.
The newly launched Simple Plex Ultra-Sensitive Assays address this limitation by enabling reliable quantification of key biomarkers, including:
- Neurofilament light chain (NFL)
- Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)
- Phosphorylated Tau 217 (pTau-217)
- Amyloid-β (Aβ1-42)
These biomarkers are widely used in research on Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
By detecting subtle biological changes that were previously difficult or impossible to observe, the assays support earlier disease characterization, improved monitoring of disease progression, and more sensitive assessment of treatment response.
Ultra-sensitivity combined with automation
The new assays build on the proven performance of the Ella platform, which integrates microfluidic automation with Simple Plex immunoassay chemistry. Key advantages include:
- Femtogram-level sensitivity for low-abundance proteins
- Fully automated workflow, minimizing hands-on time
- Reduced operator-to-operator variability
- Total runtime under three hours, from sample to result
“By combining femtogram-level detection with a fully automated microfluidic platform, Ella enables precise quantification of low-abundance biomarkers that are often undetectable with conventional immunoassay methods,” said Will Geist, President of Bio-Techne’s Protein Sciences Segment.
“This enhanced sensitivity and reproducibility support earlier characterization of disease-related changes and strengthen the reliability of high-throughput studies aimed at defining disease trajectories and identifying novel therapeutic targets.”
A platform trusted by the neuroscience community
The Ella platform is already widely adopted in neuroscience research and translational studies. Its performance has been cited in more than 200 peer-reviewed neurology-focused publications, with over 1,000 total peer-reviewed publications referencing Ella across disease areas.
The introduction of Simple Plex Ultra-Sensitive Assays further extends Ella’s utility by enabling research questions that require exceptional sensitivity without sacrificing reproducibility or scalability.
Importantly, these assays are intended for Research Use Only (RUO), supporting discovery and translational workflows rather than clinical diagnostics at this stage.
Strengthening Bio-Techne’s leadership in immunoassays
This launch reinforces Bio-Techne’s position as a leader in immunoassay innovation, combining:
- Ultra-sensitive proteomic assays
- Automated, benchtop instrumentation
- High reproducibility and data quality
Together with Bio-Techne’s broader proteomics and spatial biology portfolio, the new assays contribute to advancing precision medicine, particularly in areas where early biological signals are critical for understanding disease mechanisms.
About Bio-Techne
Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a global life sciences company providing innovative tools, reagents, and diagnostic solutions to research and clinical communities worldwide. With hundreds of thousands of products in its portfolio, Bio-Techne generated over USD 1.2 billion in net sales in fiscal 2025 and employs approximately 3,100 people globally.
The company’s technologies support breakthroughs across neuroscience, oncology, immunology, and precision medicine.
Learn more
Additional information on the Simple Plex Ultra-Sensitive Assays and the Ella platform is available on Bio-Techne’s website.