Biogen Drug Cuts Tau Levels 50-65 Percent in Alzheimer Study

Researchers at Biogen reported that an experimental drug reduced tau protein levels in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and slowed cognitive decline. The study, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, tested diranersen in 416 participants randomly assigned to one of three doses or placebo, given twice yearly by lumbar puncture.

After 18 months, those receiving diranersen showed 50 to 65 percent less tau on PET scans than the placebo group.

Cognitive tests measuring memory, recall, reasoning, and orientation indicated up to 50 percent slower decline among treated participants. The highest dose produced no greater benefit than the lowest dose. “This is the first trial to ever show reduction in tau,” said Dr.

Lawren VandeVrede, assistant professor of neurology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. ” A separate study published in JAMA found that blood levels of ptau217 identified higher risk of cognitive impairment years before symptoms. Among more than 2,700 cognitively normal people tracked for years, those with the highest levels faced a 78 percent greater chance of impairment within 10 years and 38 percent within five years compared with those having lower levels.

The blood measure outperformed brain scans and genetic testing in prediction. “I think this will change accessibility in early detection of Alzheimer’s disease dramatically,” said Rachel Buckley, associate professor of neurology at Mass General Brigham.

” Researchers from Lund University reported that primary care physicians and dementia specialists reached about 90 percent diagnostic accuracy for Alzheimer’s when combining an experimental tau blood test with brain scans, family history, and an existing amyloid-tau blood test.