Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and is constantly being researched by pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, doctors, caregivers, and patients alike in search of innovative treatment options. To gain important insights into this field, the PreScouter team interviewed three globally recognized experts in Alzheimer’s Disease. Their findings reveal key developments that pharma and biotech companies can leverage to dominate the space.
“If you’re going to get Alzheimer’s disease at age 80, you will have established brain changes maybe at the age of 60… When you say to someone: – ‘You have probable Alzheimer’s disease,’ it just doesn’t feel very convincing. And that’s been an issue for patients, families, research and doctors.” Dr. Anton Porsteinsson, Director of the University of Rochester Alzheimer’s Disease Care, Research and Education (AD-CARE), company.
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease: Identifying the condition before clinical symptoms appear
AD is a progressive condition that advances gradually over time. Therefore, biomarkers can potentially detect early signs of the disease before it progresses. Dr. Porsteinsson emphasizes that many laypeople are not aware of the long silent phase of AD, which can last for 20 to 25 years, during which changes in the brain occur before any clinical symptoms appear.
Exciting advances in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis: Key developments to watch out for
Experts have identified several fascinating innovations in the field of Alzheimer’s disease that are still relatively unknown to the pharma and biotech companies. These include the discovery of biomarkers, particularly in blood and plasma, that can measure brain pathology and track the effectiveness of treatments, as well as the use of artificial intelligence to analyze complex data and identify patient subgroups with distinct profiles and brain scans. While it remains unclear which diagnostic methods will ultimately prove successful, the cost of these innovations is a major consideration. Experts predict that blood and plasma biomarkers will offer sufficient sensitivity and specificity for screening the population at a reasonable cost in the next 5 years.
“The current question is the cost of developments. It’s not going to be if they’re going to be successful or not. It’s more cost.” Beau Ances, Vice Chair of Academic Affairs Department of Neurology at Washington University in Saint Louis and Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Luis.
Therapeutic Options to Treat AD
Experts agree that combination of therapies plays a crucial role in maintaining brain health, particularly when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease. While experts hold varying opinions on the importance of diet as a therapeutic options for AD, they generally agree that cognitive brain training and exercise can be beneficial to help treating the disease.
It’s crucial to understand that Alzheimer’s disease is only one of several types of dementia. To provide comprehensive care for patients, it’s essential to develop biomarkers and therapeutic options for other types of dementia as well, including dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia. Identifying and addressing the unique features of each form of dementia is vital to improving patients’ quality of life and advancing dementia research as a whole.
“Current therapeutic options that we have in the market do not stop the disease progression and do not prolong the quality of life. Additionally, newer treatments are usually very expensive”. Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, Director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Program and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine.
PreScouter Recommendations
- The path to success of biotechs in the AD diagnosis market is the investment in biomarkers for early detection on the disease.
- Diversifying therapeutic options for different types of dementia could fill critical gaps in the field and drive value for pharma companies.
Experts background: Dr. Murali Doraiswamy (SME 1): Physician, Brain scientist, Best selling author. Dr. Doraiswamy is a globally recognized expert and researcher focusing on intervention and treatment possibilities for Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders; Beau Ances (SME 2): Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Vice Chair of Academic Affairs Department of Neurology at Washington University in Saint Louis. Vice Chair of Academic Affairs Department of Neurology; Dr. Anton Porsteinsson (SME 3): Director of the University of Rochester Alzheimer’s Disease Care, Research and Education Program (AD-CARE).
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