The roles of biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials

TL;DR

This paper discusses how biomarkers are used in different stages of Alzheimer's disease clinical trials to guide drug development decisions.

Contribution

The paper provides an overview of the diverse contexts of use for biomarkers and their evolving roles in Alzheimer's drug development.

Findings

Biomarkers serve multiple contexts of use, including diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring in Alzheimer's clinical trials.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning can enhance biomarker data integration for better decision-making.

Emerging biomarkers like proteomics and digital biomarkers may play important roles in future Alzheimer's trials.

Abstract

Biomarkers are essential to guide decision making in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials where they have a variety of contexts of use (COUs) including diagnosis, risk, pharmacodynamic response, prognosis, prediction, monitoring, and safety. The COU of biomarkers may differ by phase of drug development with Phase 1, 2, and 3 emphasizing different types of information for decision making. A variety of biomarkers are currently serving as pharmacodynamic outcomes in clinical trials including amyloid and tau PET and fluid measures of amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration, inflammation, and synaptic plasticity. Biomarker strategies are integrated throughout drug development programs from collection and assay performance to statistical analysis and data interpretation. Data interrogation approaches using artificial intelligence and machine learning may enhance the value of biomarker observations through integration of multimodal data. Emerging biomarkers that may play a role in future AD trials include proteomics, exosome assays of co-pathology occurring in AD, EEG, ocular measures, and digital biomarkers. Biomarkers inform drug development decision-making including termination of candidate agents without sufficient biomarker effects, resourcing of promising therapies impacting the fundamental features of AD, and accelerating the development of new therapies for those with or at risk for AD.

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