An initiative to boost dementia clinical trial participation has been launched in the UK.
The Dementia Trials Accelerator (DTA) has invited the first participants to clinics for tests, with the aim to enrol eligible patients into clinical trials more quickly and speed up research.
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Led by the UK DRI and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), the DTA aims to address the chronic under-recruitment to clinical trials, which is one of the main barriers to research.
Studies have shown it can take up to three years to recruit enough participants to run an 18-month dementia trial, making the whole process last 4.5 years. Meanwhile, the average cancer trial takes 2.3 years from start to completion, including the recruitment phase.
Over 12,000 participants aged 65-75 from REACT, one of the UK’s largest cohort studies involving 2.7 million adults and led by Imperial College London, have been invited to the first clinics run by the DTA’s delivery partner, Inuvi.
Cognitive tests are performed on those who come forward, as well as tests on blood samples for biomarkers linked to dementia risk.
By early 2027, the DTA aims to have over 10,000 participants who want to take part in future research against dementia – a condition that affects 944,000 individuals in the UK.
The information gathered from the DTA is linked to clinical survey data and stored safely and securely on a platform where approved clinical trialists can find willing participants.
Professor Andrew Morris, director of HDR UK, said: “For too long, dementia trials have been held back by the difficulty of enrolling enough participants. The Dementia Trials Accelerator unites patients, universities, two national research institutes and the private sector in a powerful partnership. Together, we will speed up the complex process of identifying and recruiting the right people for dementia clinical trials across the UK – accelerating the search for new treatments, earlier diagnosis and better care.”
Alzheimer’s space taking shape
Eli Lilly and Biogen/Eisai continue to have a hold on the Alzheimer’s disease market after the approvals of their therapies Kisunla (donanemab) and Leqembi (lecanemab) in 2024.
Both therapies target amyloid, highlighting the ongoing unmet need for alternative treatment approaches in Alzheimer’s disease. Given the safety concerns associated with amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), experts agree it is encouraging to see a broader range of therapeutic options for patients emerging in the pipeline.
According to GlobalData analysis, the Alzheimer’s disease market is expected to grow at a high compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.8% from $2.4bn in 2023 to $17bn by 2033 across the eight major markets (8MM: the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, and China).
Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), like amyloid-targeting drugs, are expected to dominate the global Alzheimer’s disease market, contributing 69.2% of the market by 2033, with drugs targeting amyloid beta (Aβ) making up the majority of this. GlobalData forecasts that Leqembi and Kisunla could generate global sales of approximately $2.9bn and $2.3bn, respectively, by 2033.
GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena.
