CareersInvestorsPressCorporate
Login
  1. Home
  2. Laboratory Diagnostics
  3. Assays by Diseases and Conditions
  4. Research Use Only (RUO) Assays

Research Use Only (RUO) AssaysResearch Assays Built for Breakthroughs

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Intended solely to support laboratory research applications and scientific investigation.

Discovery doesn’t begin in clinic settings. It begins in research.

Siemens Healthineers is advancing the scientific foundations of healthcare, beginning at the early stages of clinical research. Our research use only (RUO) assays empower scientists to explore emerging biological insights with precision, confidence, and an eye toward future clinical relevance. Designed to support cutting-edge clinical research, this integrated portfolio enables evidence generation that may shape the care pathways of tomorrow. Rooted in a legacy of collaborative ecosystems and continuous innovation, we partner with the global research community to accelerate insight, validate impact, and lay the groundwork for future standards of care. Siemens Healthineers enables scientists to accelerate the translation of promising science into evidence that can move healthcare forward.

Current RUO Lineup

Neurology

Advancement in neurology is not discovered by chance; it will be engineered through science. Siemens Healthineers is advancing neurodegenerative research by unlocking deep biological insight at the early stages of discovery. Our research assays are designed to help scientists better understand neuronal injury, disease progression, and the biological mechanisms that shape neurological health.

pTau2171

Tau is a microtubule associated protein found mainly in neurons, stabilizing microtubules and supporting neuronal structure. It is known to exist in multiple isoforms predominantly present within the central nervous system (CNS) and in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

In neurodegenerative conditions, the tau protein may undergo changes, including hyperphosphorylation, a process associated with pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease.2 Our RUO pTau217 assay detects a low-molecular-weight hyperphosphorylated tau isoform thought to originate in the CNS that minimizes the peripheral signal supporting exploratory neurology research on Alzheimer's disease.3

BDTau1

Brain-derived tau (BD-tau) is a form of the tau protein thought to originate specifically from neurons within the central nervous system. Tau normally stabilizes microtubules in axons, but when neurons are injured or degenerating, brain-specific tau fragments are released into circulation. BD-tau isolates these potentially CNS-derived tau species,3 which can be distinguished from peripheral tau isoforms. Research shows that this is similar to measuring total tau, but BD-tau levels may better reflect changes within the CNS due to neurodegenerative processes, such as those observed in dementia or due to acute injuries including stroke.4,5

NfL6

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) belongs to a group of cytoskeletal elements called intermediate filaments specific to neurons. As intracellular structural components, these neurofilaments are found at lower levels in the blood of healthy individuals but can increase following neuroaxonal damage.7 Elevated NfL levels can occur as a result of multiple causes of nerve injury, including the neuroinflammatory axonal damage associated with multiple sclerosis-mediated myelin sheath destruction. These large-caliber, myelinated axons—commonly injured in multiple sclerosis—are a significant source of circulating NfL.8

    RUO Pipeline

    Advancing discovery from the ground up, our RUO assays enable researchers to explore emerging biologics and generate the evidence that helps inform tomorrow's care.

    Assay

    Status1

    Availability

    NfL6

    RUO in USA

    Now

    pTau217

    RUO

    Now

    BDTau

    RUO

    Now

    APOE and APOE4

    RUO in development

    In development

    GFAP

    RUO in development

    In development

    Scale Discovery with a Proven Partner 

    Engage Medical Affairs to Advance Research

    Collaborate with Siemens Healthineers to advance research. By partnering with our scientific and medical teams, researchers gain access to innovative assays, shared expertise, and a collaborative ecosystem designed to accelerate meaningful breakthroughs.
    Atellica Solution

    Atellica Portfolio

    Power your research with the scale, consistency, and reliability of the Atellica Portfolio. With virtually limitless configuration options and advanced automation, our Atellica systems integrate seamlessly into diverse laboratory workflows, enabling researchers to generate high-quality, reproducible evidence with confidence.

    All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
    Future availability cannot be guaranteed and is dependent on local regulatory requirements.
    1
    For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
    2
    Rajbanshi B, Guruacharya A, Mandell JW, Bloom GS. Localization, induction, and cellular effects of tau phosphorylated at threonine 217. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Jul;19(7):2874-2887.
    3
    Janelidze, Shorena, et al. A comparison of p-tau assays for the specificity to detect tau changes in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 21(4).
    4
    Gonzalez-Ortiz, Fernando, et al. Brain-derived tau: a novel blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer's disease-type neurodegeneration. Brain. 2023 Mar 1;146(3):1152-1165.
    5
    Vlegels, Naomi, et al. Brain-derived tau for monitoring brain injury in acute ischemic stroke. Sci Transl Med. 2026 Jan 14;18(832):eadz1280.
    6
    CE0197. NfL is available as Research Use Only in the USA; not for use in diagnostic procedures.
    7
    Jakimovski D, et al. Serum neurofilament light chain levels associations with gray matter pathology: a 5-year longitudinal study. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2019 Sep;6(9):1757-1770.
    8
    Kuhle, Jens, et al. "Blood neurofilament light chain as a biomarker of MS disease activity and treatment response." Neurology. 92.10.1212/WNL.0000000000007032.