Alzheimer-Erkrankung – welche Substanzen befinden sich derzeit in Phase-III-Studien?

BACKGROUND: The recent approval of aduhelm/aducanumab by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2021 raised hopes that further substances against Alzheimer’s disease might be approved in the near future. OBJECTIVE: The current status of phase III studies for Alzheimerʼs disease was evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The American database www.clinicaltrials.gov was searched on 7 August 2021 for phase III studies which target the cognitive functions affected by Alzheimerʼs disease. The mode of action of the different substances was classified according to the Common Alzheimerʼs Disease Research Ontology (CADRO). RESULTS: With the applied search criteria 53 studies were found, 32 studies with 25 substances dealt with cognition, which was demonstrated by a cognition test as one of the primary outcome measures, 20 of the studies are recruiting, 4 are not yet recruiting and 8 studies are active but not recruiting. Of the studies seven target amyloid beta-peptide as well as tau protein. For 20 substances a disease modifying action is assumed. In 2022 and 2023 a total of 8 studies each are planned to be terminated. CONCLUSION: The mode of action of the substances, which are currently in studies, seems broad and for their action a modification of the disease is mostly assumed. Therefore, there is hope that in the next 2 years further drugs against Alzheimerʼs disease might be approved.