A Universal Biomarker of Neuroaxonal Injury
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a well-established biomarker of neuroaxonal injury. When neurons are damaged, NfL is released into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, where its concentration can be measured to support neurological and neurodegenerative disease research.
Elevated NfL levels are associated with neuronal injury and disease progression across a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). As a broad marker rather than a disease-specific biomarker, NfL can support longitudinal studies, therapeutic research, and the evaluation of neurodegeneration across diverse neurological disorders.
Unparalleled Precision with SPEAR UltraDetect NF-L
The SPEAR UltraDetect™ NF-L Biomarker Assay Kit demonstrated superior sensitivity and precision compared with other evaluated NF-L immunoassays, with low intra- and inter-plate variability. In a study of healthy controls and disease samples, the assay achieved 100% sample quantifiability above the functional lower limit of quantification (fLLoQ) and a mean intra-plate CV of 3.2%.
This combination of sensitivity and precision enables researchers to reliably measure small changes in NfL concentrations, which is particularly important in multi-year longitudinal studies. These performance characteristics can also support biomarker-based clinical trial enrichment and pharmacodynamic research.
SPEAR UltraDetect NF-L assay precision
[1 µL diluted sample]
SPEAR UltraDetect NF-L sample quantifiability (>LLOQ)
[1 µL diluted sample]
Assay Specifications
| MRD | 4X |
| Diluted Sample Volume | 1µL |
| Raw Sample Volume to Machine | 10µL |
| LOD (pg/mL) | 0.024 |
| fLLOQ (pg/mL) | 0.500 |
| Spike-recovery (% recovery) | 95% |
| Linearity (% recovery) | 97% |
| Intra-plate CV (AVG%) | 3.2% |
| Inter-plate CV (AVG%) | 5.4% |
| EDTA Plasma Quantifiability | 100% |
Supporting Research on Neurological and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a structural intermediate filament protein, part of a triplet system that includes neurofilament medium (125 kDa) and neurofilament heavy (200 kDa) chains. NfL, with a molecular weight of approximately 68 kDa, is the most abundant and soluble of these proteins and is expressed in neurons, particularly within large-caliber axons.
When axonal damage occurs—as in Alzheimer’s disease, amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or multiple sclerosis (MS)—NfL is released into biofluids, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and, to a lesser concentration, in blood. While CSF analysis remains a common method for measuring NfL, blood-based detection offers a less invasive, more scalable option for longitudinal and population-level research.
The SPEAR UltraDetect™ NF-L biomarker assay kit is specifically designed to support plasma- and serum-based studies of:
- Progressive neurodegenerative diseases
- Neurological disease onset and progression tracking
- Therapeutic development targeting axonal protection
- Biomarker validation and stratification strategies across study cohorts
Recommended for Research Across Sample Types and Settings
This NF-L biomarker assay kit is intended for Research Use Only (RUO) and is optimized for plasma and serum samples. With minimal sample input and compatibility with qPCR instrumentation, it provides the flexibility to meet the demands of both high-throughput screening and targeted biomarker validation studies. The assay’s performance characteristics make it especially well-suited for:
- Clinical research programs focused on axonal injury and repair
- Longitudinal monitoring of neurological disease progression
- Early-phase intervention studies in ALS, MS, or mild cognitive impairment
- Multi-target analysis strategy, including variants of phosphorylated tau and GFAP
Designed for Performance Without Operational Burden
The SPEAR platform was engineered to remove the complexity often associated with ultrasensitive protein detection. Unlike conventional or digital ELISA technologies, which employ a heterogeneous workflow dependent on solid-surface binding, or methods requiring proprietary readout instrumentation, SPEAR’s homogeneous, wash-free format simplifies every step of the workflow.
Its dual-authentication mechanism ensures every analyte signal is verified twice—sharpening resolution even when working at the lower limits of detection. Combined with attomolar sensitivity and low CVs, SPEAR delivers reproducible results that support discovery, validation, translational, and clinical applications alike.
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