Could cancer drugs be the future of Alzheimer's treatment?
Alzheimer's cases are rising in the United States and worldwide due to an aging population, but there is no cure for the disease. Attempts to develop new treatments that slow the disease's progress, rather than lessen symptoms, have frequently failed.
Only two drugs — the antibody therapies Leqembi and Kisunla — are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to slow the progression of early Alzheimer's, and scientists say their benefits are limited.
Some pharmaceutical companies have halted or abandoned their Alzheimer's drug development programs because of unsuccessful trials. Others are trying to use existing medications, including popular weight loss drugs, to combat Alzheimer's.
With that in mind, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco conducted a broad search for drugs that could be repurposed to treat the condition — in theory, reducing the time in which the drugs could be made available to patients. They scoured a database of more than 1,300 drugs of various classes, including antipsychotics, antibiotics, antifungals and chemotherapy drugs. Then, they looked at how those drugs affected gene expression.
Their new study, published Monday in the journal Cell, identified two cancer drugs as the best candidates to lower Alzheimer's risk in patients. When combined, the drugs seemed to slow or reverse Alzheimer's symptoms in mice. One of the drugs is normally used to treat breast cancer, while the other is effective against colon and lung cancer.
Alzheimer's disease is associated with significant changes in the way genes are expressed in the brain, leading to the increased production of certain proteins and the decreased production of others. These imbalances may disrupt brain function and contribute to symptoms like memory loss.
Fewer than 90 drugs in the researchers' database reversed the expression of signature Alzheimer's-related genes in human brain cells. And five drugs in particular seemed to lower the risk of Alzheimer's in actual patients, based on electronic medical records. The authors ultimately selected two of those drugs, both approved by the FDA to treat cancer, to test in mice.
'We didn't expect cancer drugs to come up' as the most promising, said Marina Sirota, a co-author of the study and interim director of the UCSF Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute.
The authors said the breast cancer drug letrozole seemed to change gene expression in nerve cells. And the colon and lung cancer drug irinotecan seemed to change gene expression in glial cells, which support the nervous system. Alzheimer's can destroy nerve cells and cause glial cells to proliferate, creating inflammation in the brain.
In a 2020 study, breast cancer patients who received letrozole were less likely to develop Alzheimer's than patients who did not receive the drug. Colorectal cancer survivors treated with irinotecan also had a decreased Alzheimer's risk, according to a 2021 study.
After testing the drugs in mice, the study authors found that the two-drug combo reversed brain degeneration and improved memory in mice that had developed hallmarks of Alzheimer's as they aged.
Because results in mice often don't translate to humans, the researchers hope to test the drugs in a clinical trial with Alzheimer's patients.
'Developing a new drug can take hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars, on average take more than 10 years. For this repurposed drug, usually it just takes two or three years, and then you can go to the clinical trial and the cost is much, much lower,' said Dr. Yadong Huang, a co-author of the study and professor of neurology at UCSF.
'We still haven't generated or produced any very effective drugs that can really slow dramatically the cognitive decline,' he added.
Part of the difficulty in developing drugs for Alzheimer's is the complexity of the disease. Its exact cause is largely unknown.
For now, the authors said, it's unclear exactly why the cancer drugs seem to work against Alzheimer's. One theory is that the breast cancer drug blocks the production of estrogen, a hormone that controls the expression of a large number of genes. The colon and lung cancer drug may also block inflammation in the brain by preventing the proliferation of glial cells — though Huang said there are other possibilities.
Dr. Melanie McReynolds, an assistant professor of biochemistry at Pennsylvania State University, who was not involved in the study, offered another theory.
Her research has suggested that a different type of cancer drug could help treat Alzheimer's by regulating glucose metabolism, the process by which cells make energy. McReynolds said the process is necessary for various brain cells to communicate with each other.
'With aging, with stress, with diseases, that line of communication is disrupted,' she said.
McReynolds said the drug combo tested in the new study might reverse metabolic decline — what she called 'the secret for contributing to better outcomes with Alzheimer's.'
But assessing how Alzheimer's patients tolerate the combination of cancer drugs will be important. Letrozole can cause hot flashes and irinotecan can cause severe diarrhea. Both drugs can lead to nausea and vomiting.
'These drugs have huge side effects, so you need to always balance and figure out whether those types of side effects would be amenable to somebody with Alzheimer's,' Sirota said. 'It's not that it's a slam dunk.'
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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That Cup of Coffee and Glass of Wine Are Staining Your Teeth. Here's How to Keep Your Smile Bright Without Giving Up Your Favorite Drinks
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These data exemplify the comprehensive approach Roche is taking in addressing Alzheimer's across the entire patient journey. Featured oral presentations include the latest results from the ongoing Phase Ib/IIa Brainshuttle™ AD study, which continue to support rapid and robust reduction of amyloid plaques, and design of the Phase III TRONTIER 1 and 2 studies of investigational trontinemab for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease, with initiation planned later this year. As part of its growing Alzheimer's development program, Roche announced today its plans for an additional Phase III trial to investigate trontinemab in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. The trial will focus on individuals at risk of cognitive decline, with the goal of potentially delaying or preventing the progression of the disease to symptomatic stages. "Alzheimer's disease represents one of the greatest challenges in healthcare today and tackling it requires early detection and effective therapeutics," said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "Trontinemab is designed to target a key driver of Alzheimer's disease biology more effectively in the brain. Combining new treatment avenues with advanced diagnostics may enable earlier and potentially more effective intervention. With plans for Phase III trials in both early symptomatic and preclinical Alzheimer's disease, we are advancing science with the goal of delaying—and ultimately preventing—progression of this devastating condition." Late-breaking oral and poster presentations highlight the potential of Roche's Elecsys® pTau217 as a reliable and accessible blood-based biomarker test, providing comparable results to PET scan and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostics for rule-in and rule-out diagnosis of amyloid pathology, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, across care settings. The test, which received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year, will also be utilized in Roche's TRONTIER studies. "Blood based testing for Alzheimer's disease has the potential to greatly improve patient access and decrease the time to definitive disease diagnosis," said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. "Our data show that the Elecsys pTau217 test performs comparably to PET scans but can be performed with a simple blood draw and analyzed in a routine clinical laboratory. 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The primary endpoint will measure the change in cognition and function based on the Clinical Dementia Rating – Sum of Boxes scale after 18 months of treatment. Secondary endpoints will include assessments of cognition, function, behavioral symptoms, and quality of life. A pre-screening study, TRAVELLER, based on a brief clinical assessment and a plasma biomarker, which will be identified using the Elecsys pTau217 test, has also been initiated, to enable broader community outreach and extend access to these trials to more diverse populations representative of Alzheimer's disease. New data on the latest results for trontinemab from the completed dose-expansion part of the 1.8 mg/kg and 3.6 mg/kg cohorts from the ongoing Phase Ib/IIa Brainshuttle AD study continued to show rapid and robust reduction of amyloid plaques in the brain as measured by amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). In the 3.6 mg/kg cohort, trontinemab reduced amyloid levels below the 24 centiloid positivity threshold in 91% of participants (n=49/54) after 28 weeks of treatment; 72% (n=39/54) achieved deep clearance below 11 centiloids. These data were reinforced by early and significant reductions in fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, including total tau, phosphorylated Tau (pTau)181, pTau217, and neurogranin measured in CSF and continues to show a favourable safety and tolerability profile. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities-edema/effusion (ARIA-E) continued to be observed in <5% of participants (blinded data; N=4/149 across 1.8 and 3.6 mg/kg dose cohorts). All cases were radiographically mild, one was associated with mild and transient symptoms. Diagnostics Roche will present data on a new study comparing the pTau217/Ab42 plasma ratio to the high-throughput, fully automated Elecsys pTau217 assay. The presentation will report on the accuracy of these tools in detecting amyloid pathology. Together with the high throughput and full automation of the assay, these data will assess the potential of Elecsys pTau217 as an accurate standalone rule-in and rule-out test that could be scaled up for broad implementation in routine clinical practice worldwide. Additionally, results from a cohort-based model of healthcare utilization in the U.S. demonstrated that using the Elecsys® pTau181 blood-based rule-out test in primary care scenarios improved diagnostic accuracy and reduced resource use compared with the current standard-of-care clinical, cognitive and imaging tests. If made available in primary care settings, the Roche Elecsys® pTau181 blood test has the potential to reliably avoid the need for further confirmatory testing in nearly all people who receive a negative result. 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Abrantes, Stella Yilmaz, Denise Sickert, Maddalena Marchesi, Jakub Wojtowicz, Andres Schneider, Ruth Croney, David Agnew, Silke Ahlers, Paul Delmar, Hanno Svoboda, Iris Wiesel Interim biomarker results for trontinemab, a novel Brainshuttle™ antibody in development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 3 Room 718 27 July 2025, 2pm - 3:30pm EDT Gregory Klein, Gil Rabinovici, Henrik Zetterberg, Matteo Tonietto, Tobias Bittner, Daria Rukina, Fabien Alcaraz, Carsten Hofmann, Maddalena Marchesi, Jakub Wojtowicz, Ruth Croney, David Agnew, João A. Abrantes, Franziska Schaedeli Stark, Silke Ahlers, Paul Delmar, Hanno Svoboda, Iris Wiesel, Luka Kulic TRONTIER 1 and TRONTIER 2: Pivotal trials of trontinemab in early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 4 Room 718 27 July 2025, 2pm - 3:30pm EDT Janice Smith, Catherine Mummery, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Gil Rabinovici, Stephen Salloway, Reisa Sperling, Henrik Zetterberg, Angeliki Thanasopolou, Christopher Lane, Paul Delmar, Gregory Klein, Ruth Croney, Jakub Wojtowicz, Carsten Hofmann, Luka Kulic, Hideki Garren Diagnostics Evaluating the Impact on Diagnostic Performance and Healthcare Resource Utilization of Introducing a plasma rule-out test in the Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic Pathway Poster #102729 27 July 2025, 7:30am - 4:15pm EDT Sophie Roth, Gustaf Ortsäter, Joana Amorim Freire Location tbc Evaluating the Clinical Performance of the Elecsys pTau217 Plasma Immunoassay to Detect Amyloid Pathology in a Routine Clinical Practice Cohort Poster #96679 28 July 2025, 7:30am – 4:15pm EDT Sayuri Hortsch, Niels Borlinghaus, Alexander Jethwa, David Caley, Annunziata Di Domenico, Craig Ritchie Clinical performance and effect of pre-analytical variation of plasma pTau217 alone versus the plasma pTau217/Aβ42 ratio for the identification of amyloid pathology Oral Developing Topics #108585 3-23-DEV Developing Topics on Tau Biomarkers 29 July 2025, 2:00pm – 3:30pm EDT Christopher M. Rank, Joana Amorim Freire, Alexander Jethwa, Annunziata Di Domenico, Christina Rabe, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Colin L. Masters, Tobias Bittner Accuracy of cerebrospinal fluid biomarker ratios to determine amyloid positron-emission tomography status: a diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis Poster #100941 28 July 2025, 7:30am – 4:15pm EDT Pablo Martinez-Lage, Eino Solje, Julian G. Martins, Sraboni Sarkar Equity in diagnosis through adequate clinical trial design in diagnostic performance studies Poster #102804 30 July 2025, 7:30am - 4:15pm EDT Imke Kirste, David Caley, Clara Quijano Rubio, Margherita Carboni Investigating Differences in Patients Enrolled in a Clinical Study Based on Referral Type Poster #108110 30 July 2025, 7:30am - 4:15pm EDT Sophie Roth, Laura Schlieker, Sayuri Hortsch, Joana Amorim Freire, David Caley About trontinemab Trontinemab is an investigational Brainshuttle bispecific 2+1 amyloid-beta targeting monoclonal antibody specifically engineered for enhanced access to the brain to enable rapid reduction of amyloid in people with Alzheimer's disease. Trontinemab is designed for the efficient transport across the blood-brain barrier to target aggregated forms of amyloid beta and remove amyloid plaques in the brain. The uniqueness of trontinemab is based on Roche's proprietary Brainshuttle technology combining an amyloid beta-binding antibody with a transferring receptor (TfR1) shuttle module. As a result, high central nervous system (CNS) exposure of trontinemab may be achieved at low doses, leading to a rapid and deep amyloid clearance. Due to its unique properties, trontinemab might unlock the full potential of disease-modifying monoclonal antibodies by effectively penetrating the brain and potentially leading to slowing of disease progression. About Roche in Alzheimer's Disease With more than two decades of scientific research in Alzheimer's disease, Roche is working towards a day when we can detect and treat the disease early, in order to slow down, stop or even prevent its progression to preserve what makes people who they are. Today, the company's Alzheimer's disease portfolio spans investigational medicines for different targets, types and stages of the disease, including trontinemab. On the diagnostics side, it also includes approved and investigational tools, including digital and blood-based tests and CSF assays, aiming to more effectively detect, diagnose and monitor the disease. Yet the global challenges of Alzheimer's disease go well beyond the capabilities of science, and making a meaningful impact requires collaboration both within the Alzheimer's community and outside of healthcare. Roche will continue to work together with numerous partners with the hope to transform millions of lives. About Genentech in Neuroscience Neuroscience is a major focus of research and development at Genentech. Our goal is to pursue groundbreaking science to develop new treatments that help improve the lives of people with chronic and potentially devastating diseases. Genentech and Roche are investigating more than a dozen medicines for neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Together with our partners, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding to solve some of the most difficult challenges in neuroscience today. About Genentech Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Meghan Hindman (650) 467-6800Advocacy Contact: Jenee Williams (650) 303-2958Investor Contacts: Loren Kalm (650) 225-3217Bruno Eschli +41616875284 Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
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Roche presents new insights in Alzheimer's disease research across its diagnostics and pharmaceutical portfolios at AAIC
Trontinemab's Phase Ib/IIa Brainshuttle™ AD study continues to show rapid and robust clearance of amyloid plaques, with 91% becoming amyloid PET negative and ARIA-E remaining <5% Design of the Phase III TRONTIER 1 and 2 studies of trontinemab in early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease featured, with initiation planned in 2025 Plans for new Phase III trial investigating trontinemab in preclinical Alzheimer's disease, in people at high risk of cognitive decline New real-world data support Elecsys pTau217 as a standalone blood test, comparable to a PET scan, for rule-in and rule-out identification of amyloid pathology Basel, 28 July 2025 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that new data from its Alzheimer's development portfolio is being presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Toronto, Canada (July 27-30). These data exemplify the comprehensive approach Roche is taking in addressing Alzheimer's across the entire patient journey. Featured oral presentations include the latest results from the ongoing Phase Ib/IIa Brainshuttle™ AD study, which continue to support rapid and robust reduction of amyloid plaques, and design of the Phase III TRONTIER 1 and 2 studies of investigational trontinemab for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease, with initiation planned later this year. As part of its growing Alzheimer's development programme, Roche announced today its plans for an additional Phase III trial to investigate trontinemab in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. The trial will focus on individuals at risk of cognitive decline, with the goal of potentially delaying or preventing the progression of the disease to symptomatic stages. 'Alzheimer's disease represents one of the greatest challenges in healthcare today and tackling it requires early detection and effective therapeutics,' said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche's Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. 'Trontinemab is designed to target a key driver of Alzheimer's disease biology more effectively in the brain. Combining new treatment avenues with advanced diagnostics may enable earlier and potentially more effective intervention. With plans for Phase III trials in both early symptomatic and preclinical Alzheimer's disease, we are advancing science with the goal of delaying —and ultimately preventing—progression of this devastating condition.' Late-breaking oral and poster presentations highlight the potential of Roche's Elecsys® pTau217 as a reliable and accessible blood-based biomarker test, providing comparable results to PET scan and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostics for rule-in and rule-out diagnosis of amyloid pathology, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, across care settings. The test, which received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year, will also be utilised in Roche's TRONTIER studies. 'Blood based testing for Alzheimer's disease has the potential to greatly improve patient access and decrease the time to definitive disease diagnosis,' said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. 'Our data show that the Elecsys pTau217 test performs comparably to PET scans but can be performed with a simple blood draw and analyzed in a routine clinical laboratory. This has the potential to transform the diagnosis of Alzheimer's and provide clear answers to caregivers, patients, and their families.' Up to 75% of people living with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease globally have not been diagnosed, and those who have, waited an average of 2.8 years1, and even less have received any form of treatment. Diagnostics play a crucial role in addressing the global challenge of Alzheimer's, not only to detect and identify people with the disease early, even before the first symptoms, but also to rule out those who may or may not benefit from specific treatments. PharmaceuticalsIn a 90-minute Featured Research session, designs were shared for the Phase III studies, TRONTIER 1 and 2, which will initiate later this year, investigating the efficacy and safety of investigational trontinemab in people with early Alzheimer's disease. The primary endpoint will measure the change in cognition and function based on the Clinical Dementia Rating – Sum of Boxes scale after 18 months of treatment. Secondary endpoints will include assessments of cognition, function, behavioural symptoms, and quality of life. A pre-screening study, TRAVELLER, based on a brief clinical assessment and a plasma biomarker, which will be identified using the Elecsys pTau217 test, has also been initiated, to enable broader community outreach and extend access to these trials to more diverse populations representative of Alzheimer's disease. New data on the latest results for trontinemab from the completed dose-expansion part of the 1.8 mg/kg and 3.6 mg/kg cohorts from the ongoing Phase Ib/IIa Brainshuttle AD study continued to show rapid and robust reduction of amyloid plaques in the brain as measured by amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). In the 3.6 mg/kg cohort, trontinemab reduced amyloid levels below the 24 centiloid positivity threshold in 91% of participants (n=49/54) after 28 weeks of treatment; 72% (n=39/54) achieved deep clearance below 11 centiloids. These data were reinforced by early and significant reductions in fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, including total tau, phosphorylated Tau (pTau)181, pTau217, and neurogranin measured in CSF and continues to show a favourable safety and tolerability profile. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities-edema/effusion (ARIA-E) continued to be observed in <5% of participants (blinded data; N=4/149 across 1.8 and 3.6mg/kg dose cohorts). All cases were radiographically mild, one was associated with mild and transient symptoms. DiagnosticsRoche will present data on a new study comparing the pTau217/Ab42 plasma ratio to the high-throughput, fully automated Elecsys pTau217 assay. The presentation will report on the accuracy of these tools in detecting amyloid pathology. Together with the high throughput and full automation of the assay, these data will assess the potential of Elecsys pTau217 as an accurate standalone rule-in and rule-out test that could be scaled up for broad implementation in routine clinical practice worldwide. Additionally, results from a cohort-based model of healthcare utilisation in the U.S. demonstrated that using the Elecsys® pTau181 blood-based rule-out test in primary care scenarios improved diagnostic accuracy and reduced resource use compared with the current standard-of-care clinical, cognitive and imaging tests. If made available in primary care settings, the Roche Elecsys® pTau181 blood test has the potential to reliably avoid the need for further confirmatory testing in nearly all people who receive a negative result. This will avoid the need for these people to undergo unnecessary testing using CSF or PET, which often come with long wait times and high cost, resulting in further delays to diagnosis and cost to healthcare systems. Medicine Abstract title Presentation number (type) Presentation date (session) Time Abstracts will be available on the AAIC website. Pharmaceuticals Next wave of innovation in Alzheimer's disease therapeutics: The value of novel active transport mechanisms Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 1 Room 718 27 Jul 2025, 2pm - 3.30pm EDT Cath Mummery, Roberto Villaseñor, Jens Niewoehner, Scarlett Barker, Luka Kulic Latest results from the dose-expansion part (Part 2) of the Brainshuttle™ AD study of trontinemab in people with Alzheimer's disease Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 2 Room 71827 Jul 2025, 2pm - 3.30pm EDTLuka Kulic, Fabien Alcaraz, Gregory Klein, Stephen Salloway, Carsten Hofmann, João A. Abrantes, Stella Yilmaz, Denise Sickert, Maddalena Marchesi, Jakub Wojtowicz, Andres Schneider, Ruth Croney, David Agnew, Silke Ahlers, Paul Delmar, Hanno Svoboda, Iris Wiesel Interim biomarker results for trontinemab, a novel Brainshuttle™ antibody in development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 3 Room 718 27 Jul 2025, 2pm - 3.30pm EDT Gregory Klein, Gil Rabinovici, Henrik Zetterberg, Matteo Tonietto, Tobias Bittner, Daria Rukina, Fabien Alcaraz, Carsten Hofmann, Maddalena Marchesi, Jakub Wojtowicz, Ruth Croney, David Agnew, João A. Abrantes, Franziska Schaedeli Stark, Silke Ahlers, Paul Delmar, Hanno Svoboda, Iris Wiesel, Luka Kulic TRONTIER 1 and TRONTIER 2: Pivotal trials of trontinemab in early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease Featured Research Session (FRS), Talk 4 Room 71827 Jul 2025, 2pm - 3.30pm EDTJanice Smith, Catherine Mummery, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Gil Rabinovici, Stephen Salloway, Reisa Sperling, Henrik Zetterberg, Angeliki Thanasopolou, Christopher Lane, Paul Delmar, Gregory Klein, Ruth Croney, Jakub Wojtowicz, Carsten Hofmann, Luka Kulic, Hideki Garren Diagnostics Evaluating the Impact on Diagnostic Performance and Healthcare Resource Utilization of Introducing a plasma rule-out test in the Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic Pathway Poster #102729 July 27, 7:30am- 4:15pm EDT Sophie Roth, Gustaf Ortsäter, Joana Amorim Freire Location tbc Evaluating the Clinical Performance of the Elecsys pTau217 Plasma Immunoassay to Detect Amyloid Pathology in a Routine Clinical Practice Cohort Poster #96679 July 28, 7:30 am – 4:15 pm EDT Sayuri Hortsch, Niels Borlinghaus, Alexander Jethwa, David Caley, Annunziata Di Domenico, Craig Ritchie Clinical performance and effect of pre-analytical variation of plasma pTau217 alone versus the plasma pTau217/Aβ42 ratio for the identification of amyloid pathology Oral Developing Topics #108585 3-23-DEV Developing Topics on Tau Biomarkers July 29, 2025: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Christopher M. Rank, Joana Amorim Freire, Alexander Jethwa, Annunziata Di Domenico, Christina Rabe, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Colin L. Masters, Tobias Bittner Accuracy of cerebrospinal fluid biomarker ratios to determine amyloid positron-emission tomography status: a diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis Poster #100941 July 28, 7:30 am – 4:15 pm EDT Pablo Martinez-Lage, Eino Solje, Julian G. Martins, Sraboni Sarkar Equity in diagnosis through adequate clinical trial design in diagnostic performance studies Poster #102804 July 30, 7:30am-4:15pm EDT Imke Kirste, David Caley, Clara Quijano Rubio, Margherita Carboni Investigating Differences in Patients Enrolled in a Clinical Study Based on Referral Type Poster #108110 July 30, 7:30am-4:15pm EDT Sophie Roth, Laura Schlieker, Sayuri Hortsch, Joana Amorim Freire,David Caley About trontinemabTrontinemab is an investigational Brainshuttle bispecific 2+1 amyloid-beta targeting monoclonal antibody specifically engineered for enhanced access to the brain to enable rapid reduction of amyloid in people with Alzheimer's disease. Trontinemab is designed for the efficient transport across the blood-brain barrier to target aggregated forms of amyloid beta and remove amyloid plaques in the brain. The uniqueness of trontinemab is based on Roche's proprietary Brainshuttle technology combining an amyloid beta-binding antibody with a transferring receptor (TfR1) shuttle module. As a result, high central nervous system (CNS) exposure of trontinemab may be achieved at low doses, leading to a rapid and deep amyloid clearance. Due to its unique properties, trontinemab might unlock the full potential of disease-modifying monoclonal antibodies by effectively penetrating the brain and potentially leading to slowing of disease progression. About Roche in Alzheimer's DiseaseWith more than two decades of scientific research in Alzheimer's disease, Roche is working towards a day when we can detect and treat the disease early, in order to slow down, stop or even prevent its progression to preserve what makes people who they are. Today, the company's Alzheimer's disease portfolio spans investigational medicines for different targets, types and stages of the disease, including trontinemab. On the diagnostics side, it also includes approved and investigational tools, including digital and blood-based tests and CSF assays, aiming to more effectively detect, diagnose and monitor the disease. Yet the global challenges of Alzheimer's disease go well beyond the capabilities of science, and making a meaningful impact requires collaboration both within the Alzheimer's community and outside of healthcare. Roche will continue to work together with numerous partners with the hope to transform millions of lives. About Roche Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world's largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice. For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Roche's business. As a science-driven company, our greatest contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Sustainable Markets Initiative to achieve net zero by 2045. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law. References[1] Roche Global Media RelationsPhone: +41 61 688 8888 / e-mail: Hans Trees, PhDPhone: +41 79 407 72 58 Sileia UrechPhone: +41 79 935 81 48 Nathalie AltermattPhone: +41 79 771 05 25 Lorena CorfasPhone: +41 79 568 24 95 Simon GoldsboroughPhone: +44 797 32 72 915 Karsten KleinePhone: +41 79 461 86 83 Kirti PandeyPhone: +49 172 6367262 Yvette PetillonPhone: +41 79 961 92 50 Dr Rebekka SchnellPhone: +41 79 205 27 03 Roche Investor Relations Dr Bruno EschliPhone: +41 61 68-75284e-mail: Dr Sabine BorngräberPhone: +41 61 68-88027e-mail: Dr Birgit MasjostPhone: +41 61 68-84814e-mail: Relations North America Loren KalmPhone: +1 650 225 3217e-mail: Media Investor Release AAIC 2025 EnglishError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data