Study Suggests Long-Term Anti-Amyloid Therapy May Delay Early-Onset Alzheimer’s

Preliminary findings show a 50% reduction in symptom risk for genetically predisposed individuals, but funding and drug availability challenges remain.

The study involved 73 participants with genetic mutations guaranteeing early-onset Alzheimer’s, with the most significant results observed in 22 participants treated for an average of eight years.
Gantenerumab, the drug used in the study, reduced the risk of developing symptoms by 50% in this subset, though its production was discontinued in 2022 after broader trials failed.
The findings lend support to the amyloid hypothesis, suggesting that targeting amyloid plaques may delay or prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms, but larger studies are needed to confirm this.
Participants have been switched to alternative anti-amyloid drugs like Leqembi, with researchers aiming to assess the long-term protective effects of such treatments.
The study’s continuation faces uncertainty due to delays in NIH funding and political challenges, raising concerns about the future of Alzheimer’s research.