Labcorp Expands FDA‑Cleared Elecsys pTau‑181 Alzheimer’s Blood Test into Primary Care

Labcorp expands Alzheimer’s blood testing into primary care

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp) is rolling out the Elecsys pTau‑181 blood test nationwide in primary care, expanding access to an FDA‑cleared biomarker for symptomatic patients aged 55 and older. Developed by Roche Diagnostics and cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2025, the test is performed by a simple blood draw in a physician’s office or at any of Labcorp’s more than 2,200 patient service centers. Labcorp says the move offers a more accessible alternative to brain scans or lumbar punctures for initial assessment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Labcorp positions Elecsys pTau‑181 as the first and only FDA‑cleared blood test designed to aid initial Alzheimer's evaluation in primary care, enabling clinicians to rule out Alzheimer’s pathology by identifying patients unlikely to have amyloid buildup. The company emphasizes the test’s 97.9% negative predictive value, which supports clinicians in evaluating negative cases for other causes of cognitive decline and directing positive results to further specialist testing. By expanding availability, Labcorp aims to reduce unnecessary specialist referrals and provide earlier diagnostic clarity amid a national shortage of neurologists.

The company frames the expansion as part of a broader strategy to bring blood‑based biomarkers into routine care and to support earlier, more personalized diagnosis and treatment pathways. Dr. Brian Caveney, Labcorp’s chief medical and scientific officer, says primary care clinicians are often the first point of contact for cognitive concerns and that broader access to Elecsys pTau‑181 helps patients get answers sooner and guides next steps with greater confidence. Labcorp integrates the test into its diagnostic menu and positions itself as a leader in scaling blood‑based tools that streamline care and could lower costs for patients.

Academic health leader joins board

Labcorp also appoints John H. Sampson, M.D., Ph.D., MHSc, MBA, to its board of directors effective Feb. 9, 2026. Sampson serves as vice chancellor for health affairs and dean at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, is a practicing neurosurgeon, National Academy of Medicine member and author of nearly 300 peer‑reviewed publications; the board names him to the Quality and Compliance Committee.

Strategic positioning

Labcorp frames both moves as reinforcing its role across diagnostics, clinical trials and drug development partnerships, saying expanded primary‑care testing and added clinical leadership support its mission of earlier diagnosis, personalized medicine and the development of new therapies globally.