Harald Hampel, MD, PhD, MA, MSc on Advancements and Challenges in the Alzheimer Space

“We need to establish staging for Alzheimer disease based on biomarkers, imaging technology and genomics.”

At the 2018 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago, Illinois, Harald Hampel, MD, PhD, MA, MSc, Professor of at Sorbonne Universities, Department of Neurology, sat down with NeurologyLive to speak to the data presented on ANAVEX 2-73 as well as the the exciting progress that's been made and challenges that still need to be overcome in the Alzheimer disease space.

To start, Hampel discussed his presentation on the results of the phase IIa trial of ANAVEX 2-73, an investigational drug studied for the treatment of early Alzheimer disease. The positive data has led to an extension observational study as well as a phase IIb/III study.

Hampel also spoke to the promise and challenges he and colleagues identify within the space. He emphasized that a prerequisite for successful drug development and future combination therapies is to clearly map out patients at the preclinical stage with real quantitative technology. To Hampel, the most exciting advances include establishing staging for Alzheimer disease based on biomarkers, imaging technology and genomics.

While the field is growing, Hampel identified that one of the most important challenges he feels the community faces is the need to embrace breakthrough advances from technology in other fields like genetics, data science, health tracking devices and drug development, in addition to being inclusive and open about new mechanisms and not dogmatic.

Another challenge Hampel discussed, that he feels is absolutely mandatory, is to motivate the public so that individuals are willing to be participants in research and contribute to trials. Trial participants, or colleagues and Hampel noted, come to the same table in an attempt to improve how to detect and treat this disease.