USA2 SPOTLIGHT  

Press Statement: The Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP) announced the launch of GAP-Net, a first-of-its-kind network of clinical trial sites collaboratively working to streamline clinical research and drug development for Alzheimer's disease. GAP-Net currently has 11 leading academic and private commercial research site partners. The network looks to add a minimum of 20 more sites by year-end and grow to 60 sites nationally by the end of 2017.

A July 26, 2016 FierceBiotech article reported that “Mobile app maker AnthroTronix is launching the second phase of a study that uses mobile technology to track brain issues in people who care for Alzheimer’s patients.” According to the article, “The Silver Spring, MD-based company will work with case management outfit Mindoula and two nonprofits, the BrightFocus Foundation and the Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimer’s Initiative, to carry out Phase II of the study, dubbed “Health-eBrain.” Phase I of the research showed that informal caregivers, or unpaid individuals without formal medical training, had cognitive impairment when caring for patients with Alzheimer’s.”

MUST READS 

A July 28, 2016 MedScape.com article reported that “The Medicare annual wellness visit (AWV) is mandated by the Affordable Care Act and includes cognitive testing” is being underutilized. According to the article, “It is vastly underutilized nationally, but it is being successfully implemented on a large scale in one large Midwestern health system.”

A July 28, 2016 STAT News article reported on the research community’s response to results released during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. According to the article, “In the wake of disappointing results this week for yet another experimental Alzheimer’s drug, scientists who have toiled for decades to understand the devastating disease expressed frustration and even anger that their field has not made more progress toward a cure.”

A July 28, 2016 The Washington Post article reported that “Wednesday, researchers at the Toronto conference announced that the drug, leuco-methylthioninium-bis (LMTM) had failed to demonstrate a benefit for most trial participants, supportng what experts have long believed: that winning the battle against Alzheimer’s will involve a cocktail of drugs and changes in lifestyle habits such as diet, sleep habits and physical exercise, rather than a magic bullet.”

Medical News Today: Alzheimer's drug shows promise for patients in phase III trial

Science Daily: New research adds evidence on potential treatments targeting amyloid beta in Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s News Today: Cognitive Decline in Mild Alzheimer’s Slowed with Azeliragon