In The News: Department of Brain Health
The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) will be leading a roundtable, "Advancing Combination Therapy: Discussion on Key Considerations, Perspectives, and Promising Avenues for the Future of Alzheimer's Treatments," at the 2024 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference, which will be held October 29th through November 1st in Madrid, Spain.
The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) today announced a new investment to develop a first-of-its-kind Biomarker Observatory that will provide a comprehensive overview of the Alzheimer's biomarkers pipeline, including blood tests, brain scans, digital devices, and other tools that can help diagnose and monitor the disease. These efforts will be led by renowned clinical trialist Jeffrey Cummings, MD, ScD, Joy Chambers-Grundy Professor of Brain Science at the School of Integrated Health Sciences at ҳ| 鶹ýӳ with Co-Principal Investigator Feixiong Cheng, PhD, from the Laboratory of Network Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. This Observatory will fill a critical gap by creating the first thorough overview of the biomarker pipeline, serving as a key resource to catalyze progress in drug development.
Today, Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation® (GAP) and the ҳ| 鶹ýӳ (UNLV), announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a collaboration to accelerate research for neurodegenerative diseases. This includes establishing a state-of-the-art imaging and emerging technology program dedicated to the development and implementation of new and innovative biomarker and diagnostic solutions for central nervous system (CNS) research.
Over the past two years, Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi and Eli Lilly’s Kisunla, both anti-amyloid antibodies, made history as the first real options to slow cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. For years, amyloid plaques and tau tangles have been a primary target of Alzheimer’s disease research and drug development, but while affecting these proteins may yield some benefit, the illness continues to progress. Today, multiple therapeutics are in Phase III trials with other targets, suggesting that within the next few years it may become possible to treat Alzheimer’s via multiple pathways.
AXS-05, a novel NMDA receptor antagonist that already has approval for major depressive disorder, shows significant benefit in the treatment of agitation that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to research presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).
On Sunday, the Alzheimer’s Association kicks off its international conference and there’s already buzz about a blood test that is between 85% and 90% accurate in identifying Alzheimer’s disease. Having an easy blood test could be game changing. Right now, the only way to confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is with a costly PET scan or an invasive spinal puncture.
The FDA has granted both Fast Track and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapeutic (RMAT) Designations to Longeveron's Lomecel-B investigational allogeneic medicinal signaling cell (MSC) therapy for the potential treatment of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).1,2.
For Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, a brain health researcher and professor at UNLV, this is an exciting time in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Federal health advisers in May voted to back an Alzheimer’s drug from Eli Lilly and Co. that can slow the progression of cognitive decline and memory problems. On Tuesday morning the drug — donanemab — gained final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, making it the second Alzheimer’s drug that slows cognitive decline cleared for use in the United States.
June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. We visit Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to meet three people at the forefront of researching, patient advocacy, and treatment. They share what medications are currently available for patients and what they are learning about the disease. They also share information for the many people caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Sanskrit word sthariyam (unswerving self or steadfastness) is a spiritual quality mentioned in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 13, Verse 8). The word steadfast can also be traced to the Old English word “stedefaest,” in which stede, means “place,” and faest, means “to be firmly fixed.” It is good to be steadfast or firmly fixed in one’s beliefs that are positive, self-uplifting, and geared toward accomplishing one’s goals. Steadfastness is a behavior as well as a personality trait. If we practice this behavior of steadfastness in our everyday dealings it can become part of our personality. Such steadfastness shows a sense of commitment that leads to dependability, trustworthiness, and integrity in character.
In our new Caring For Caregivers Conversation, brain health expert Dr. Kate Zhong joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about advances in Alzheimers treatment and what you can do to protect your brain. Dr. Zhong is a geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV.
Two new assessments of clinical trials pointed to the need for more investment in Alzheimer's disease treatments. At the 2024 American Geriatrics Societyopens in a new tab or window (AGS) scientific meeting, researchers evaluated Alzheimer's trials funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) over a 20-year period. Another analysis, published in Alzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventionsopens in a new tab or window, provided a comprehensive look at active trials in the Alzheimer's drug pipeline.