The pursuit of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) attributed to AD is marked by a robust pipeline of clinical trials. A comprehensive search of ClinicalTrials.gov revealed a total of 187 ongoing trials across various phases, evaluating 141 unique treatments. A significant portion of these trials, 79%, focus on disease-modifying therapies. Additionally, 28% of the therapies under investigation are repurposed agents, originally developed for other conditions.

The pipeline’s extensive nature highlights both the complexity of AD as a target for pharmaceutical intervention and the breadth of scientific inquiry being pursued to address it. These trials are not only crucial for the potential discovery of effective treatments but also for gaining a deeper understanding of AD and its progression. The requirement for a large number of trial participants underscores the significant effort and resources dedicated to AD research and the critical role of patient participation in advancing potential therapeutic solutions.

Reference: Cummings J, Zhou Y, Lee G, Zhong K, Fonseca J, Cheng F. Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline: 2023. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2023;9(2):e12385. doi: 10.1002/trc2.12385. Erratum in: Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2023;9(2):e12407.