Fall / Winter 2024 | Research 5
PET images showing AC Immune ’ s alpha-synuclein tracer in a control participant and participants with dementia with Lewy bodies ( DLB ), multiple system atrophy ( MSA ) and Parkinson ’ s disease ( PD ).
PHOTO COURTESY OF AC IMMUNE and Drug Administration approvals of two new therapies : lecanemab in 2023 and donanemab in 2024 .
MJFF invested for well over a decade in finding tracers capable of revealing PD-related alpha-synuclein . Then in 2019 , the Foundation launched the three-year , $ 10-million Ken Griffin Alpha-synuclein Imaging Competition that spurred a scientific race . Funded largely through a leadership gift from Griiffin , the Citadel founder and CEO , the competition helped advance alpha-synuclein imaging like never before .
The three finalists — runners up AC Immune and Mass General Brigham and winner Merck — are now among six groups known to be testing alpha-synuclein tracers in human trials .
All six received support from MJFF at some point in the development of their tracers , Eberling said . Most recently , the Foundation provided additional funds to Mass General Brigham through a supplemental grant and to Merck through a new quantitative biomarker initiative .
Progress on the Path to Imaging
Alpha-synuclein is a major focus of today ’ s imaging efforts because of its critical role in PD starting from the earliest stage . But work on imaging biomarkers does not end with alphasynuclein PET scans . MJFF recently launched a consortium to bring together industry partners in sharing progress toward a range of better imaging tools for PD , including tracers to visualize inflammation and synaptic functioning . MJFFbacked researchers also are working to optimize dopamine imaging — currently possible with PET and dopamine transporter scan ( DaTscan ), which uses another imaging technology called singlephoton emission computed tomography ( SPECT ).
“ To see where we are today is just astonishing ,” said Eberling , highlighting a recent milestone report from AC Immune in Nature Communications showing definitively that alpha-synuclein imaging is achievable . “ The field is energized for what ’ s to come : a day when we can clearly measure , quantify and visualize brain pathology in PD . When that day comes , it will fully transform what ’ s possible in drug development .”
See pages 6 and 9 for more on biomarkers .