NEW THERAPEUTIC OPPORTUNITIES IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: THE ROLE OF ANTI-AMYLOID ANTIBODIES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
TL;DR
Despite remaining challenges, including safety concerns and the risk of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, anti-amyloid therapies represent a major advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and mark a transition toward disease-modifying strategies.
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, neuronal loss, and the accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and tau pathology. For many years, pharmacological treatment has been limited to symptomatic therapies, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, which provide only modest clinical benefits without modifying disease progression. The development of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies has introduced the first disease-modifying therapeutic approach targeting the underlying pathology of AD. Agents such as aducanumab, lecanemab, and donanemab reduce cerebral amyloid burden through selective targeting of different forms of β-amyloid. Clinical trials, including CLARITY AD and TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2, have demonstrated that these therapies can slow cognitive decline in patients with early-stage AD, although their efficacy depends on disease stage and patient selection. Despite remaining challenges, including safety concerns and the risk of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, anti-amyloid therapies represent a major advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and mark a transition toward disease-modifying strategies.