Alzheimer's disease failed clinical trials

Life Sci. 2022 Oct 1:306:120861. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120861. Epub 2022 Aug 4.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease typically presenting with symptoms of memory loss and cognitive decline. Existing theories for the causation of this focuses on amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles. Most US Food and Drug Administration approved therapies for Alzheimer's disease target cognitive function. A multitude of clinical trials, with a variety of different targets have been conducted over the decades which have focused on the two clinical signs, with the only success being the controversial 2021 approval of an IgG1 anti-Ab antibody targeting the clearance of the Aβ plaques. Presented is a review of all previously failed Alzheimer's disease clinical trials and the rationale for their failures.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta; Clinical trials; Tau tangles.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / drug therapy
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Clinical Trials as Topic*
  • Humans
  • Plaque, Amyloid

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides