Progress in New Alzheimer’s Therapeutics Based on Biology of Aging Highlighted in Symposium Hosted by Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) at AD/PD™ 2023 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation will host a symposium, "Building the Future: Novel Approaches and Innovations in Alzheimer's Research" at the AD/PD™ 2023 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders, March 28th through April 1st at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden.

This symposium encompasses two sessions. The first, a roundtable titled "Investments in Innovation: Advancing the Path Forward to New Alzheimer’s Treatments," is moderated by Niranjan Bose, Managing Director, Health & Life Sciences at Gates Ventures, and features a discussion on the path forward for the Alzheimer’s research field among five global investment organizations – Dementia Discovery Fund, Gates Ventures, EQT Life Sciences, Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) and the ADDF.

The second session, "Emerging Solutions: Novel Approaches to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease," focuses on the biology of aging and promising drugs in the pipeline that target a host of underlying pathologies that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. It features presentations on research, including novel senolytics and repurposing programs, as well as prevention approaches for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

AD/PDTM will also feature sessions and keynotes from nearly 15 ADDF-funded investigators whose work is informed by the biology of aging, which relies on our understanding of the aging brain to develop a multi-pathway approach to Alzheimer’s diagnostics, treatments, and prevention. These diverse approaches reflect the current Alzheimer’s pipeline, where 75% of drugs in clinical trials focus on non-amyloid and tau targets according to a recent report.

"We are in the dawn of a new era for Alzheimer’s research with a broader consensus on the need to develop multiple therapies informed by the biology of aging because anti-amyloid therapies are only part of the solution. Like other diseases of aging, such as cancer, the holy grail for Alzheimer’s treatments will be a combination therapy and precision medicine approach so we can treat each patient’s Alzheimer’s based on their individual biological pathology," said Dr. Howard Fillit, the ADDF’s Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer.

Dr. Fillit will participate in several sessions that speak to these emerging approaches:

• "Investments in Innovation: Advancing the Path Forward to New Alzheimer’s Treatments" (roundtable) on Wednesday, March 29 at 11:40 CET
  • Moderator: Niranjan Bose, PhD (Gates Ventures)
  • Panelists: Howard Fillit, MD (ADDF), Luca Santarelli, MD (Dementia Discovery Fund), Philip Scheltens, MD, PhD (LSP at EQT), and Susan Kohlhaas (Alzheimer’s Research UK)
• "Emerging Solutions: Novel Approaches to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease" on Wednesday, March 29 at 12:15 CET
  • Moderator: Howard Fillit, MD (ADDF)
  • Panelists: Miranda Orr, PhD (Wake Forest School of Medicine), Lisa Riccardi, MBA (Cognition Therapeutics) and Giacomo Koch, MD, PhD (Santa Lucia Foundation)
• Forum Discussion: “Phase I-III in Alzheimer’s Disease: Drug Development and Relevance for Heterogeneity of the Disease” on Thursday, March 30 at 17:25 CET

Dr. Fillit will also be available to comment on the following sessions:

Wednesday, March 29th

• "Blood-based biomarkers comparison to CSF and imaging biomarkers. Assessment for diagnoses and treatment effects: how to measure minimal clinical efficacy?" at 2:45 CET

Thursday, March 30th

• "Donanemab Trailblazer-Ext: Longer-term effects on brain amyloid and tau deposition, blood-based biomarkers, and clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease" on Thursday, March 30 at 2:35 CET
• "Lecanemab Phase 3 Clarity AD Trial: ARIA with the Use of Antiplatelets or Anticoagulants in Early Alzheimer's Disease" at 2:50 CET
• "Isolated ARIA-H in Patients Treated with Lecanemab in the Phase 3 Clarity AD Study in Early Alzheimer's Disease" at 3:05 CET
• "Graduate I and II: Efficacy results from two phase III trials of subcutaneous gantenerumab in early Alzheimer's disease" on Thursday, March 30 at 3:20 CET
• "Phase I-III in AD: Drug development and relevance for heterogeneity of the disease" on Thursday, March 30 at 4:20 CET

To view the full program for the 2023 AD/PDTM conference, visit the conference webpage.