CONFERENCE COVERAGE SERIES
Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) 2023 - 16th
Boston, Massachusetts
24 – 27 October 2023
The 16th iteration of the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease conference, held October 24-27 in Boston, drew some 2,300 participants, of whom 1,500 crowded into a downtown hotel for the in-person experience while 800 followed proceedings remotely. The meeting started with a session on how efforts to diversify research participation in trials are beginning to yield data on biomarker positivity among different groups, and continued with a focus on which patients might benefit most from amyloid reduction.
To Recruit for Diverse Alzheimer Trials, Go to the People
Most participants in AD research studies and trials are non-Hispanic whites. At a conference in St. Louis, scientists discussed strategies to include diverse populations.
From St. Louis to Boston, Scientists Grapple with Ethnoracial Divide in AD Biomarkers
Across several studies, black/African Americans and Hispanic or Latino people had lower amyloid positivity rates than whites. Scientists are studying why.
Treat Before ‘Aβ Bothers Tau,’ Scientists Say at CTAD
At trials conference, multiple amyloid immunotherapy programs reported greatest cognitive benefits for people whose tau tangle deposition has only just begun.
Moving Forward: RNA-Targeted Attempts at Taking Down Tau, APP
In early phase trials, therapy lowering tau translation hinted at cognitive benefit, while going after APP lowered its fragments and Aβ peptides.
After Long Wait, Aβ Oligomer Detangler Poised for Phase 2
Phase 1b results tease that the small molecule PRI-002 might curb cognitive decline. Phase 2 is slated for early 2024.
Unlocking Blood-Brain Barrier Boosts Immunotherapy Efficacy, Lowers ARIA
Roche’s “brain shuttle” antibody, trontinemab, cleared plaque in Phase 1 with little ARIA, highlighting that bypassing vascular amyloid could be the key.
Second-Generation γ-Secretase Modulator Heads to Phase 2
In a Phase 1 trial of Roche’s RG6289, both plasma and CSF Aβ37 climbed, while Aβ42 fell.
Gotta Get Rid of It All: Total Plaque Clearance Key for Clinical Benefit
In amyloid immunotherapy trials to date, abolishing plaque leads to better outcomes months later. Cognitive benefits lag behind amyloid removal.
Gauging Cognition From Your Couch? The Digital Age Has Arrived.
Smartphone- and web-based cognitive tasks detected amyloid positivity, early Alzheimer’s, better than in-person tests. Some are being used in clinical trials.
New Alzheimer’s Diagnostic Criteria Remain ‘Research Only’
This clarification comes after geriatricians argued that diagnosing AD in people without symptoms is premature, and the NIH pulled its name.
Plasma p-Tau-217 Assays Work Well, But No Home Run for Diagnosis
For a diagnostic test, specificity and sensitivity fall a little shy. Using two cut points might solve the problem.
Two New p-Tau217 Blood Tests Join a Crowded Field
C2N’s PrecivityAD2 and ALZpath Inc.’s p-tau217 immunoassay identify people with AD with good accuracy.