2021 in Review and What ’ s Next
17
Brain Biology in the News
A new Alzheimer ’ s drug made headlines after receiving FDA approval in 2021 . Aduhelm ( aducanumab ) is the first Alzheimer ’ s disease therapy to be approved since 2003 and the first that targets the disease process , rather than merely treating symptoms .
When MJFF launched PPMI in 2010 , the study was modeled after the Alzheimer ’ s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative ( ADNI ), a public-private partnership in Alzheimer ’ s that gave rise to the biomarkers supporting aducanumab ’ s development . Ken Marek , MD , MJFF ’ s scientific advisor and co-principal investigator of PPMI , penned an op-ed in leading research outlet STAT about the implications for the PD field :
“ The aducanumab story should redouble our commitment to develop and test biomarkers for Parkinson ’ s that will provide a clear understanding of the biology of this disease . This is the only way to efficiently test whether drugs slow the disease process and ultimately slow Parkinson ’ s-related disability . Researchers need to work with pharmaceutical teams to give them these tools to ensure that their studies will meet every standard that ’ s required , so when encouraging data emerge , they can move forward effectively … The best way to put the approval of aducanumab into perspective is to see it as just the beginning of a pipeline of therapies that target the underlying biology of brain disease .”