Background
Conventional biomarkers such as anti-CCP2 antibodies and Rheumatoid Factor (RF) often fail to identify individuals in pre-symptomatic, early, or atypical stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). This gap delays diagnosis and treatment, allowing disease progression before intervention.
Vacara is addressing this unmet need by advancing precision diagnostics that detect RA earlier and more accurately, enabling timely and targeted care.
SeNe Test: Reaching the Unreached
To overcome this limitation, Vacara’s specific peptides constitute the core of the SeNe test, a novel biomarker panel designed to detect RA in individuals who test negative for anti-CCP2 and RF. This innovation directly targets the unmet need for earlier and more inclusive diagnosis, as highlighted in [1].
Our innovation, SeNe, is a unique panel of five peptides that can accurately distinguish patients with early RA from healthy individuals and from those with related conditions such as osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus (SLE). By identifying patients earlier and more inclusively, SeNe fills a critical gap left by conventional biomarkers.
CitPreDi5 Test: Predicting the Unpredictable
Beyond detection, Vacara’s CitPreDi5 markers offer predictive power for both future RA onset and disease severity in a pre-symptomatic stage. These biomarkers enable stratification of patients before clinical symptoms emerge, supporting proactive treatment planning and risk assessment [2].
Prognosis & Progression Insights
Vacara’s peptide-based tools also contribute to prognostic modelling, helping clinicians anticipate disease trajectory and tailor interventions. Recent findings demonstrate their utility in predicting long-term outcomes [3]. Ongoing research is focused on identifying additional biomarkers to support personalized prediction and stratification.
Vacara’s biomarker suite transforms RA diagnostics from reactive to predictive, enabling earlier intervention, personalized care, and better resource allocation. By bridging the diagnostic blind spots of traditional serology, Vacara empowers researchers, clinicians and patients alike.
References
1. Lönnblom E, Leu Agelii M, Sareila O, Cheng L, Xu B, Viljanen J, Hafström I, Andersson MLE, Bergström G, Hultgård Ekwall AK, Rudin A, Kastbom A, Sjöwall C, Jacobsson LTH, Kihlberg J, Gjertsson I, Holmdahl R. Autoantibodies to Disease-Related Proteins in Joints as Novel Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023 Jul;75(7):1110-1119. PMID: 36718635.
2. He Y, Sareila O, Johansson L, Agelii ML, Cheng L, Lundquist A, Lönnblom E, Gröndal G, Gudbjornsson B, Hørslev-Petersen K, Lampa J, Lend K, Hetland ML, Nordström D, Nurmohamed M, Rudin A, Uhlig T, Østergaard M, Gjertsson I, Rantapää-Dahlqvist S, Holmdahl R. Epitopes targeted by autoantibodies in presymptomatic individuals predict early rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2025 Jul;84(7):1090-1103. PMID: 40348635.
3. Leu Agelii M, Sareila O, Lönnblom E, Cheng L, Forslind K, Hafström I, Andersson MLE, Kastbom A, Sjöwall C, Jacobsson LTH, Kihlberg J, Holmdahl R, Gjertsson I. Autoantibodies to joint-related peptides as predictive markers in early rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2025 Apr 1;64(4):2227-2232. PMID: 39078716.
Disclaimer: The diagnostic biomarkers and associated tests described are investigational in nature and are currently under development. They are not CE-marked under the EU IVDR nor cleared or approved by the U.S. FDA. These tools are not intended for clinical diagnostic use at this stage.
