Dr. Holly Massett and Dr. Tamiko MaGee-Rodgers will lead us trough two separate discussions exploring the significance of clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), detailing their progression through various stages. They will discuss the key stakeholders involved in trial planning and collaboration, strategies to address R&D challenges within budget and timelines, the importance of aligning populations with the disease, and effective recruitment strategies.

This session will focus on the latest in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) clinical trials.  Dr. Dana Hilt, MD will highlight advancements in treatments targeting amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the role of biomarkers like CSF proteins, and the efficacy of current drugs like aducanumab. You'll also learn about promising new therapies in the pipeline, including tau-targeting drugs and gene therapies, with a focus on improving treatment outcomes and earlier interventions.

This session will collect experience and knowledge from the experts on what to know in order to better prepare for a Phase-I clinical trial, particularly considering disease and population differences. The experts will weigh in on how to reduce burden on the patient by better designing clinical trials and how to accelerate clinical developmental programs.​

Prof. Dennis Selkoe's research primarily focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration. His studies have highlighted the roles of amyloid-beta and tau proteins in disease progression. His work has advanced the field of Alzheimer's research, influencing therapeutic approaches aimed at targeting these proteins to halt or slow neurodegeneration.

The Tsai Laboratory studies Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration, focusing on epigenetics, neural circuit dynamics, and innovative therapeutic approaches. Prof. Li-Huei Tsai will emphasize the APOE4 gene's role in disease susceptibility, using iPSC models to explore how APOE4 impacts neuronal function. This work aims to uncover mechanisms of neurodegeneration and develop targeted therapeutic strategies to combat Alzheimer's and related disorders.

With this session, the aim is to focus on how to build effective teams with multi-disciplinary knowledge in this ever-changing drug discovery landscape and targets, what has worked for innovation and learnings. Discussion on the differences of institutional approaches to translational sciences and drug discovery. ​

The collective expertise of this panel spans academia, startups, and the pharmaceutical industry. They will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of preclinical models, covering topics such as the pace of progress, biomarker selection, timelines, and emerging hypotheses with novel approaches in detail.

With the wealth of expertise in different funding environments, panelists will talk about the current funding sources for preclinical and clinical companies and the best practices in getting funding, forecasting for 2025 and beyond, and similarities and differences for each disease type and stage of the company.​

End the day with a poster session and networking reception highlighting cutting edge research presented by selected scientists.

If you would like to submit an abstract or have any questions, please reach out to Sezin Yigit.