What did the research discover?
A review of the 2024 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug pipeline found 164 clinical trials testing 127 drugs, a decline from 187 trials and 141 drugs in 2023. The pipeline consists of:
- 48 trials in Phase 3 (testing 32 drugs)
- 90 trials in Phase 2 (testing 81 drugs)
- 26 trials in Phase 1 (testing 25 drugs)
Most drugs in the pipeline aim to modify disease progression (76%), while others focus on cognitive enhancement (12%) or treating neuropsychiatric symptoms (13%). Targets of these therapies include neurotransmitter receptors, inflammation, amyloid plaques, and synaptic plasticity.
Despite recent FDA approvals of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies (aducanumab, lecanemab, and pending review of donanemab), the number of new chemical entities (NCEs) in development has dropped by 13%. The average time for an AD drug to progress from preclinical research to FDA review is about 13 years.
How can I apply this information?
If you or a loved one is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, this research highlights emerging treatment options and the challenges in drug development:
- Clinical trials continue to explore new treatments, including disease-modifying drugs and therapies for cognitive symptoms and agitation.
- Enrolling in clinical trials could provide access to potential treatments before they become widely available.
- Advancements in biomarkers and clinical trial design may speed up drug development and improve treatment options in the coming years.
These findings emphasize the urgent need for continued investment and innovation to address the growing number of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Source:
Cummings J, Zhou Y, Lee G, Zhong K, Fonseca J, Cheng F. Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline: 2024. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 2024 Apr;10(2):e12465. https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/trc2.12465
