Alzheimer’s trial to test drug on people without symptoms to see if it can be prevented
Healthy middle-aged people deemed to be at higher risk of developing condition among those eligible to participate People without memory loss will be offered an experimental Alzheimer’s drug that could stop the development of the condition before dementia symptoms emerge. Healthy middle-aged people deemed to have a higher risk of developing the condition will be eligible to participate in the…
An international clinical trial, led by an NHS trust, is testing an experimental Alzheimer's drug on healthy middle-aged individuals deemed at higher risk of developing the condition. The PrevenTRON study aims to prevent dementia by targeting those with elevated levels of p-tau217, a biomarker predictive of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's.
Conducted by the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS foundation trust, the trial will screen about 1,600 participants aged 55 to 80 from around the world, with UK participants undergoing memory assessments before receiving a blood test for p-tau217. Previous research indicates that high p-tau217 levels correlate with a 78% chance of cognitive impairment within 10 years.
The phase III trial, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, involves the drug trontinemab, which targets amyloid plaques, toxic brain proteins causing Alzheimer's. Early studies showed trontinemab effectively cleared amyloid plaques in early-stage Alzheimer's patients within 28 weeks, removing a key characteristic of the disease.
Professor Ramin Nilforooshan, the trial's chief investigator, highlights the shift in research focus from treating symptoms to prevention, aiming to help millions affected by Alzheimer's. The UK will host at least 15 hospitals and clinics for recruitment, with the trial expected to last four to six years, monitoring participants to assess dementia development. Interested individuals can contact the Surrey and Borders Partnership research team for screening.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
