Partnership with FNIH Will Drive New Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) has joined a new initiative from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium. The initiative, “Inflammatory Markers for Early Detection and Subtyping of Neurodegenerative and Mood Disorders,” will improve diagnosis and the development of targeted therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. 

Our Chief Science Officer Dr. Howard Fillit says: “Research on inflammatory mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease dates back to the early 1980s. And the ADDF has been funding biomarkers and therapies targeting inflammation in Alzheimer's since our founding in 1998. The new initiative will speed progress in this important area, and we are looking forward to working with all our partners.”

Studies continue to strengthen the connection between inflammatory processes in the brain and the development and progression of central nervous system disorders, including Alzheimer's. To track these processes, biological markers (biomarkers) of inflammation can be measured in patient blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid. One of the challenges in the field, however, is measuring inflammatory biomarkers accurately and reproducibly for comparison between and across studies.

This project will standardize the sample collection and testing processes used to measure specific inflammatory biomarkers. In addition, the team will identify and develop unique combinations of these biomarkers, called biosignatures. These biosignatures will be critical to better diagnose and match patients with the best treatment options for their disease and can pave the way for the development of novel therapeutics for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

The initiative is managed by the FNIH and is led by a team of experts from the National Institutes of Health and the partners listed below. 

Partners

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
AstraZeneca
Biogen MA Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Eisai
Genentech
Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Meso Scale Discovery
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute on Aging
Pfizer
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Quanterix