Researchers are launching a large-scale international study to investigate whether administering an experimental medication to asymptomatic individuals can prevent Alzheimer’s disease from developing. The PrevenTRON trial, coordinated through the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS foundation trust, aims to enroll approximately 1,600 participants aged 55 to 80 from multiple countries, with European recruitment beginning this month.
Eligible participants must have no existing memory problems but show evidence of elevated p-tau217, a biomarker associated with cognitive decline risk. Previous studies indicate that individuals with the highest p-tau217 levels face an estimated 78% chance of developing cognitive impairment within 10 years. Blood tests measuring p-tau217 have demonstrated the ability to identify Alzheimer’s disease with up to 95% accuracy.
The investigational drug, trontinemab, was developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche and works by targeting amyloid plaques—toxic proteins that accumulate in the brain and damage neural function. Early-stage research found that the medication cleared amyloid plaques in nine out of 10 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive decline within 28 weeks.
Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either trontinemab or placebo and monitored to track the development of dementia symptoms. The trial is expected to continue for four to six years. At least 15 hospitals and clinics across the UK are anticipated to participate by year’s end. Leading researchers emphasize the shift from treating Alzheimer’s after symptom onset to attempting prevention at earlier disease stages, though they stress the experimental nature of the approach and the need to await trial results.
Alzheimer’s disease typically begins developing in the brain up to 10 years before individuals typically seek treatment for memory problems. The condition affects approximately one in 14 people over 65 and one in six over 80.
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