Since 2005, I have been following research on Alzheimer’s disease. The most significant findings for 2007 were the exponential impact in AD expected over the next 40 years and the phase II evaluation of the first anti-amyloid drug, which failed to meet its clinical endpoints. During interviews in this article, I discovered that part of the controversy surrounding the drug’s failure were the outcome measures used to evaluate the trial. Researchers need to develop clinical biomarkers, which will first facilitate testing of disease-modifying agents, and later identify the patients for whom these drugs are indicated. This lead to the article on biomarkers.
