Eiasi initiates a new Phase III clinical study ?AHEAD 3-45) of BAN 2401 for individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.

The Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC), Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc., announced that a new Phase III clinical study ?AHEAD 3-45) of BAN 2401, an antiamyloid beta (A?) protofibril antibody, has been initiated in the United States of America for individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), meaning they are clinically normal and have intermediate or elevated levels of amyloid in their brains. Currently, BAN 2401 is being studied in a pivotal Phase III clinical study in symptomatic early AD (Clarity AD), following the outcome of the Phase II clinical study (Study 201). The AHEAD 3-45 will be conducted in the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Europe.

AHEAD 3-45 is a Phase III clinical study, conducted as a public-private partnership between the ACTC, funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, and Eisai. After a common screening period in AHEAD 3-45, participants will be enrolled into one of two randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trials based on the level of amyloid in the brain: the A45 trial and the A3 trial. A total of 1400 participants will be enrolled in the study and treated with BAN 2401 for 216 weeks. The A45 trial will enroll cognitively unimpaired participants who have elevated levels of amyloid in the brain, and aims to prevent cognitive decline and suppress the progression of brain AD pathology with BAN 2401 administration. The primary endpoint for A45 is the change from baseline in the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite 5 (PACC5) at 216 weeks of treatment.

Secondary endpoints are changes from baseline in brain amyloid levels as measured by amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and in brain tau levels as measured by tau PET and Cognitive Function Index, a participant and study partner reported outcome. The A3 trial will enroll cognitively unimpaired participants who have an intermediate amount of amyloid in the brain, and who are at high risk for further A? accumulation. The primary endpoint for A3 is change from baseline in brain amyloid levels as measured by amyloid PET. The secondary endpoint is change from baseline in brain tau levels as measured by tau PET. Both trials include additional clinical assessment scales, imaging, blood biomarkers and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a subset, as exploratory endpoints. An ATN (Amyloid, Tau, Neurodegeneration) biomarker panel of imaging and biofluid, especially CSF, markers including A?1-42, A? 1-40, t-tau, p-tau, neurogranin, neurofilament light chain, will be used to evaluate therapeutic effects on the progression of AD pathophysiologic changes.

“It is hoped that initiating treatment much earlier in the disease process may be advantageous in preventing future cognitive decline. The AHEAD 3-45 should provide critically important answers about the optimal time to intervene with anti-amyloid therapy” said Dr. Reisa Sperling, Director, Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and co-Principal Investigator, ACTC..