SPRING 2023
MIND Matters SPECIAL FEATURE THE A4 STUDY A HEARTFELT THANK YOU The topline results for the Anti-Amyloid treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (A4) study were recently released (https://a4study.org) revealing the drug being investigated, solanezumab, failed to demonstrate a benefit in slowing memory changes in 65 to 85 year olds who met the criteria for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Nevertheless, the A4 study was among the first ever preclinical AD trials, boldly blazing a trail that has now been followed by several other studies, including the open-to-enrollment AHEAD Study (www.aheadstudy.org). Though the trial did not find that solanezumab will be an effective treatment for preclinical AD, the study has already taught the field an immeasurable amount. The trial leadership, including academic investigators and Eli Lilly, the maker of solanezumab, made the screening data for the trial publicly available shortly after recruitment had been completed. Many important papers, including several by UCI MIND investigators have helped advance the field, increasing our understanding of the earliest biological and clinical changes in AD and improving the methods for conducting efficient and sensitive trials at the preclinical stage of disease. The full dataset for the A4 Study will also be made publicly available, giving investigators worldwide the opportunity to use this remarkable data to accelerate discovery. “Although the results were not what we wanted or expected, we have learned so much from this study already and there is still so much more to learn with the data continuing to come in. This will help us build bigger and better trials like AHEAD and studies that come after it,” says Beatriz Vides, a clinical research nurse and the clinical trials manager for UCI MIND.
IN THIS ISSUE The A4 Study The Southern California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers Collaborative Conference Inaugural Beall Scholar Award Recipient Emerging Scientists Symposium Alzheimer's Association Research Grant Recipient New Staff Retiring Staff
These advances and those that will come were made possible by the many participants and study partners who gave their time, energy, blood, sweat and tears to the A4 Study. Gaby Thai, MD, Principal Investigator of the A4 study at UCI MIND said, “I am very proud that I was part of A4. I am grateful we have such a dedicated team to help carry this study. I am also grateful to the participants and their families who devoted so much time and effort to help.” Many of the UCI MIND participants had been in the study since 2014, receiving infusions, undergoing cognitive testing, getting PET scans and providing fluid specimens. Furthermore, every participant was asked to enroll with a study partner who could also participate in study visits and assessments. continued on page 3
Nurse practitioner, Melanie Tallakson (center) and clinical research nurse, Beatriz Vides, infuse a participant for the A4 study