A new Australian trial is testing a promising dementia drug that may prevent Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms appear.
Beginning next month, researchers across more than a dozen sites in Australia will test remternetug, an experimental injectable drug designed to stop the build-up of amyloid protein in the brain – considered an early trigger of Alzheimer’s. Unlike existing treatments, this drug is being trialled in people who do not yet have a dementia diagnosis.
Participants aged 65 to 80 will be screened using blood tests and brain scans to detect the earliest changes linked to Alzheimer’s. Those accepted into the trial will receive a self-injected treatment every one to two months over 18 months. Half of the group will receive a placebo.
“This drug could delay or even prevent Alzheimer’s by stopping brain damage before it begins,” said Professor Amy Brodtmann (pictured below) from Royal Melbourne Hospital, one of the trial’s lead investigators. “We’re aiming to find people in that critical window – before the disease takes hold.”
The drug, developed by Eli Lilly (the company behind other amyloid-targeting therapies), works by making amyloid proteins less sticky so they can’t form harmful plaques in the brain. If successful, it could open the door to routine screening and early treatment – similar to how we test for other health risks like high cholesterol or diabetes.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, which affects over 433,000 Australians and is currently the country’s second leading cause of death. Experts warn it could become the leading cause within five years.
Professor Michael Woodward, medical advisor to Dementia Australia and another trial leader, called the study a major step forward: “We urgently need new tools to detect and treat Alzheimer’s early. This trial gives us that chance.”
To learn more or apply to join the trial:
- Royal Melbourne Hospital: [email protected]
- Box Hill Hospital (Monash): [email protected]
- Additional sites are listed online.