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. 2022 Jul 26;8(1):e12330.
doi: 10.1002/trc2.12330. eCollection 2022.

Challenges and progress in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Nikolay V Dokholyan  1   2 , Richard C Mohs  3 , Randall J Bateman  4
Affiliations

Challenges and progress in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Nikolay V Dokholyan et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

The health, well-being, and financial security of Americans are greatly impacted by Alzheimer's disease. The forecast paints an upward trajectory with the number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. To discuss the Alzheimer's crisis, The Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care, held a hearing titled, "The Alzheimer's Crisis: Examining, Testing, and Treatment Pipelines and Fiscal Implications," on December 16, 2020. Here, we summarize and expand on the discussion of the panel and its review of recent progress, ongoing challenges associated with Alzheimer's disease, and potential initiatives that promise to speed progress in developing treatments and improving care.

Keywords: ADRD; Alzheimer's disease; dementia; healthcare policy.

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Conflict of interest statement

N.V.D. is the President of the Molecules in Action LLC. He also serves on the advisory board at Atom Bioworks. He also serves as the Editor‐in‐Chief of Proteins. R.C.M. is the Chief Science Officer for the Global Alzheimer's Platform (GAP) Foundation and Vice President for Clinical Development at Agenebio, Inc. a Baltimore‐based biotechnology company; he is PI for NIA Grant R01AG061091 “A Phase 3 Pivotal Trial of AGB101 to Slow Progression in MCI due to Alzheimer's Disease” awarded to AgeneBio. He is member of the Board of Governors for the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), and a member of the Board of Directors for CogState, Ltd. He has received consulting fees from Vaxxinity, Inc., Amyriad Therapeutics, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Center for Neurodegeneration. R.J.B. has received research funding from Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Janssen, Roche/Genentech, Eli Lilly, Eisai, Biogen, AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Novartis. Washington University and RJB have equity ownership interest in C2N Diagnostics and receive royalty income based on technology (stable isotope labeling kinetics and blood plasma assay) licensed by Washington University to C2N Diagnostics. RJB receives income from C2N Diagnostics for serving on the scientific advisory board. R.J.B. has received honoraria as a speaker, consultant, or advisory board member from Amgen and Roche.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Alzheimer's disease timeline. Pathological processes start with abnormal molecular interactions leading eventually to neuronal cell death. However, only when sufficient damage to the brain has occurred do patients exhibit mild cognitive impairment. This critical point defines the realm of modern medicine when the disease is manifested, and patients seek treatment and care strategies. The time preceding this critical point is the prevention period, during which some irreversible tissue damage happens. Even though current advances in biomarkers can detect multiple pathologies in this prevention period, we still do not have direct measures of key Alzheimer's disease processes, which are driven by aberrant molecular interactions.
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