NeuroKaire launches first-of-its-kind clinical test in the US, expected to dramatically reduce the 'trial and error' approach to finding the right antidepressant

NeuroKaire's blood-based screening tool, BrightKaire,^™ is also expected to save more than $16 billion annually in avoidable treatment costs.

KEARNY, N.J., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuroKaire, a leader in precision psychiatry, announced today the launch of BrightKaire, a test based on a "brain in a dish" technology, that helps clinicians choose the best antidepressant medication for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The first-in-class test can now be ordered by clinicians treating patients who suffer from MDD.

Dr. Justin Coffey, Chief Medical Advisor for NeuroKaire, said the test allows patients to find relief much faster. "Identifying the right medication for patients with depression can take several months or even longer. Antidepressants typically don't work right away. A given medication at a given dose needs several weeks to become fully effective, and that's if its side effects can be tolerated. During this trial period, the patient's suffering persists. This painful trial and error approach is one of the most frustrating challenges in the field. BrightKaire changes all that. The evidence-based test involves a simple blood sample and uses each patient's own brain cells to identify the right medication in just weeks. It's a game changer for anyone who knows the suffering of depression."

Adding to the frustration and timeline, research suggests roughly 67% of the time, the first antidepressant medication prescribed to a patient isn't effective, making BrightKaire's comparatively quick and simple process all the more appealing.

After receiving a patient's blood sample, NeuroKaire's team creates neurons from each patient, and exposes them to various antidepressants. Using its proprietary AI platform to analyze personalized patient data — including genetic background, and microscopic features of patient-derived neurons — BrightKaire provides a detailed report demonstrating how well a patient will respond to different antidepressants. Results include an individual's likelihood for adverse events. That information is shared with the patient's clinical team, resulting in more accurate, faster, and effective medication, reduced side effects, and lower healthcare costs.

"For far too long, those suffering from MDD have been put have been subject to trial-and-error prescribing" lamented Talia Cohen Solal, CEO and founder of NeuroKaire. "That's hardly comforting to those in need of urgent help. BrightKaire isn't just a step in the right direction towards personalized psychiatry, it's a critical leap beyond the cookie-cutter approach to prescribing that currently defines much of psychiatric care."

The BrightKaire^™, test recently received regulatory approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, marking the first test to use blood-derived neurons in clinical practice. The test is reimbursed under several insurance plans including Medicare Part B.

About NeuroKaire: NeuroKaire develops personalized medicine solutions to optimize treatment for psychiatric and neurological diseases. Using blood samples, combined with a patients' genetic background, NeuroKaire identifies optimal drug therapy for individuals, opening the door to faster treatment, fewer side effects, lower dosing, and the elimination of arduous trial-and-error treatment protocols. NeuroKaire also enables pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to bring precision medicine into drug development throughout the developmental pipeline across psychiatry and neurology. For more information visit: NeuroKaire.com.

CONTACT: Amy Roberts, [email protected]

SOURCE NeuroKaire