A major international clinical trial is testing whether Alzheimer’s disease can be delayed or prevented by treating people before they develop memory loss or other symptoms.
The Phase III PrevenTRON trial will involve around 1,600 people between the ages of 55 and 80. The participants will not have memory problems but will first undergo blood tests to identify elevated levels of p-tau217, a biomarker associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
People who meet the required criteria will be randomly assigned to receive either the experimental drug trontinemab or a placebo. The study will examine whether early treatment can prevent or delay the development of dementia.
Trontinemab is designed to target amyloid plaques, abnormal protein deposits that build up in the brain and are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier research has shown that the drug can remove amyloid plaques in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s, but researchers say more evidence is needed to establish whether treating people before symptoms appear can actually prevent dementia.
The trial is expected to run for four to six years and will involve hospitals in several countries. The first European participants are being screened in the UK.
Researchers say the study represents a shift in Alzheimer’s research, with greater attention now being given to identifying people at risk before cognitive decline becomes visible.
The use of blood-based biomarkers could also make early identification easier in the future. However, the researchers have stressed that trontinemab remains an investigational treatment and the trial will determine whether it can deliver a meaningful benefit.
If successful, the study could influence how Alzheimer’s disease is detected and treated in its earliest stages.
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