December 6, 2019

Today's Top Alzheimer's News Inbox x

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A December 5, 2019 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s blog post by Brain Health Partnership lead Kelly O’Brien addressed a future vision of an optimal system of brain health care in the U.S. To these ends, UsA2 is partnering on the three-year ASSIST Study, looking at lifestyle factors that increase dementia risk. This will be the largest such study undertaken. Learn more here. “UsAgainstAlzheimer’s believes the ASSIST Study could play an important role in accelerating early intervention efforts and drug development, which are critical elements necessary to bring a stop to this insidious disease,” wrote O’Brien.

MUST READS

A December 5, 2019 The Washington Post article reported on “cautious optimism” amongst the scientific community in the wake of Biogen’s presentation at CTAD yesterday about its new aducanumab data, while others remained unconvinced . “We’re talking about people at a mild stage of disease still being able to work, bank, shop, travel, enjoy leisure activities for longer. And I submit to you that this matters more a lot more to our patients than what score they get on a memory test,” said Toronto Memory Program Lead Sharon Cohen. Also covered by Science MagazineUSA TodayFox NewsThe Boston Globe, and others.

FINANCES

A December 5, 2019 Investor’s Business Daily article reported that Biogen’s stock rose yesterday after its data presentation on aducanumab at CTAD in San Diego. The stock plummeted in March after announcing it was abandoning its two Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials. According to the article, “Panelists attending the CTAD meeting noted the data was complex. Biogen stock investors appeared to feel the same way, as shares first tumbled, then popped.” Also covered by Barron's

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

A December 5, 2019 NIH National Institute on Aging article presented further evidence that treating high blood pressure reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementias. Scientists relied on data from the the SPRINT MIND trial, including studies from the United States, France, Iceland and the Netherlands, to conclude that antihypertensive drugs reduce the risk of developing AD by 16%. According to the article, “The researchers hope their findings add urgency to the need for better hypertension awareness among the rapidly growing global population of older adults, many of whom are at risk for developing high blood pressure or already have it but are not managing it properly.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A December 4, 2019 Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation announcementspotlighted the latest round of awards through their Diagnostics Accelerator, totaling $6 million, which was created to develop novel biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. “These awards represent a true collaboration among renowned clinicians, who are directly involved with patients and understand the disease, scientists who are developing the tests, and diagnostics companies that understand the regulatory pathways – driving research and product development,” said Founding Executive Director Dr. Howard Fillit. Also covered by CISION PR Newswire