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CAP—advancing the evaluation of preclinical Alzheimer disease treatments

Nature Reviews Neurology volume 12, pages 56–61 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

If we are to find treatments to postpone, reduce the risk of, or completely prevent the clinical onset of Alzheimer disease (AD), we need faster methods to evaluate promising preclinical AD treatments, new ways to work together in support of common goals, and a determination to expedite the initiation and performance of preclinical AD trials. In this article, we note some of the current challenges, opportunities and emerging strategies in preclinical AD treatment. We describe the Collaboration for Alzheimer's Prevention (CAP)—a convening, harmonizing and consensus-building initiative to help stakeholders advance AD prevention research with rigour, care and maximal impact—and we demonstrate the impact of CAP on the goals and design of new preclinical AD trials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Rusty Katz, Laurie Ryan and Neil Buckholtz for their participation in and valuable contributions to the Collaboration for Alzheimer's Prevention. E.M.R. receives research support from the NIH (grants RF1 AG041705, UF1 AG046150, R01 AG031581 and P30 AG19610). J.B.L. and P.N.T. receive research support from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). P.N.T. also receives research support from the Arizona Department of Health Services, and has personal financial interest in California Pacific Medical Center and the Weston Brain Institute. J.C.M. is funded by NIH grants P50 AG005681, P01 AG003991, P01 AG026276 and U19 AG032438. F.L. receives research support from the Anonymous Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital and the NIH. R.J.B. has received funding from the Alzheimer's Association, the NIH and NIA, and philanthropic foundations. R.A.S. receives research support from the NIA and the Alzheimer's Association. P.S.A. has received research support from the NIH (grants U01 AG10483, U01 AG024904, R01 AG030048 and R01 AG16381).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Banner Alzheimer's Institute, 901 E. Willetta Street, Phoenix, 85006, AZ, USA

    Eric M. Reiman, Jessica B. Langbaum & Pierre N. Tariot

  2. Grupo de Neurosciencias, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 62 #52–59, Medellin, Colombia

    Francisco Lopera

  3. Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, 63110, MO, USA

    Randall J. Bateman & John C. Morris

  4. Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, 02115, MA, USA

    Reisa A. Sperling

  5. University of Southern California Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute, 10182 Telesis Court, San Diego, 92121, CA, USA

    Paul S. Aisen

  6. Department of Neurology, Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Duke University Medical Center, 2200 West Main Street, Durham, 27705, NC, USA

    Allen D. Roses & Kathleen A. Welsh-Bohmer

  7. Medical & Scientific Relations Division, Alzheimer's Association, 225 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 60601, IL, USA

    Maria C. Carrillo

  8. Fidelity Biosciences Research Initiative, One Main Street, Cambridge, 02142, MA, USA

    Stacie Weninger

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  1. Eric M. Reiman
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Contributions

E.M.R., J.B.L., P.N.T., R.J.B., J.C.M., R.A.S., P.S.A., A.D.R., K.A.W.-B., M.C.C. and S.W. researched data for the article, made substantial contributions to discussions of the content and wrote the article. All authors reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission. E.M.R. and J.B.L. are joint senior authors of this article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric M. Reiman.

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Competing interests

E.M.R. receives research support from Genentech, Eli Lilly/Avid Radiopharmaceuticals and Novartis. J.B.L. receives research support from Genentech and Novartis. P.N.T. has received research support from AC Immune, AstraZeneca, Avanir, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elan, Functional Neuromodulation, GE Healthcare, Genentech, Lilly, Lundbeck, Merck & Co., Novartis, Roche, Takeda and Targacept, and has personal financial interest in Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, AC Immune, AstraZeneca, Auspex, Avanir, Boehringer Ingleheim, Chase Pharmaceuticals, Clintara, CME Group, Corium, GliaGure, Lilly, Lundbeck, Merck & Co., PlatformQ, Roche and Takeda. F.L. receives research support from Genentech. R.J.B. has received funding from Merck. He is a co-founder and part owner of C2N Diagnostics, and is a co-inventor on several patents under Washington University. He is on a scientific advisory board for FORUM pharmaceuticals, and has consulted for Eli Lilly, IMI, Merck, Novartis, Roche and Sanofi. J.C.M. is or was an investigator for clinical trials of antidementia drugs sponsored by the following companies: Janssen Immunotherapy, Pfizer, Eli Lilly/Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, the SNIFF study, and the A4 trial. He has consulted for Lilly USA, ISIS Pharmaceuticals and the Charles Dana Foundation. He receives research support from Eli Lilly/Avid Radiopharmaceuticals. R.A.S. has consulted for Biogen, Bracket, Genentech, Janssen and Roche. She receives research support from Eli Lilly and Co., Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Fidelity Biosciences. P.S.A. has consulted for the following companies: NeuroPhage, Eisai, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Merck, Roche, Amgen, Genentech, Novartis, Janssen, Biogen, iPerian, Anavex, Abbvie, Cohbar and Roivant. He has received research support from Eli Lilly and Janssen. A.D.R. is the CEO and only stock holder of Zinfandel Pharmaceuticals, which is allied with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. K.A.W.-B. receives research funding from Takeda through a contract with Duke University. S.W. is the Executive Director of the Fidelity Biosciences Research Initiative (FBRI), a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. FBRI supports and facilitates the activities of the Collaboration for Alzheimer's Prevention and some of its affiliated studies. M.C.C. declares no competing interests.

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Contacts, funding sources and acknowledgements for preclinical Alzheimer disease trials (DOCX 26 kb)

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Reiman, E., Langbaum, J., Tariot, P. et al. CAP—advancing the evaluation of preclinical Alzheimer disease treatments. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 56–61 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.177

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