Plasma NfL (Neurofilament Light Chain)
Universal axonal damage marker for neurodegenerative disease
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a structural protein found inside nerve cell axons. When neurons are damaged — in any neurodegenerative disease — NfL spills into the blood. It is the most universal marker of nerve cell injury and is elevated across Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS, frontotemporal dementia, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological conditions.
NfL is a marker of large-caliber axonal injury that can be measured in plasma and becomes abnormal in various disorders including alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury.
Not specific to any single neurodegenerative disease — cannot distinguish between AD, PD, ALS, or MS. Requires specialist interpretation in clinical context. Affected by age and BMI (age-stratified reference ranges essential).
Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL)
Use 2x EDTA vacuum blood collection tubes (purple cap) to draw 4 mL of venous blood.
Transfer to 4°C for immediate storage and arrange shipment to Codex Genetics Laboratory (within 6 hours)
Available through Codex Genetics. Please contact us for collection kits and requisition forms.
Samples must be collected and submitted by a licensed healthcare professional.
- Store samples at 4°C (refrigerator) for up to 6 hours after collection.
- Samples must be ready for pick-up by 15:00 on weekdays.
- Pick-up service is not available on public holidays.
- Contact Codex Genetics to arrange pick-up: Tel +852 3008 2560 / WhatsApp +852 9837 1345. Address: Unit 220, 2/F, Building 16W, HKSTP, Pak Shek Kok, NT, Hong Kong.
Reported in pg/mL. Age-stratified percentile reference ranges provided. Higher values indicate greater neurodegeneration.
Elevated plasma NfL indicates ongoing axonal damage. Results should be interpreted alongside disease-specific biomarkers (p-tau217 for AD; α-synuclein SAA for PD/DLB) for diagnostic specificity.
Per the NIA-AA 2024 revised criteria (Jack CR Jr et al., Alzheimer's & Dementia 2024; DOI: 10.1002/alz.13859), plasma NfL is classified as an (N) neurodegeneration biomarker — a sensitive indicator of neuronal damage that is informative across the entire spectrum of neurodegenerative disease. In Alzheimer's disease, plasma NfL rises in proportion to disease stage and rate of cognitive decline. It has been adopted in pivotal clinical trials as a pharmacodynamic biomarker of neuroprotection. Plasma NfL is also included in the FDA's guidance on Alzheimer's drug development as a supportive outcome measure.
Hong Kong-based molecular diagnostics laboratory specialising in clinical genomics, precision oncology, and rare disease diagnosis. Accredited to ISO 27001 and GenQA standards.
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