Novo Nordisk has presented new findings from its phase 3 Evoke and Evoke+ trials on using semaglutide as part of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment.
The trials did not meet their primary endpoints; however, they still highlighted important biomarker findings. Semaglutide demonstrated reductions of up to 10% in biomarkers linked to AD and neuroinflammation that, despite not being a large enough change to have clinical impact, is still a notable result.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug currently used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and as a weight management medication. Research into other possible indications of GLP-1 drugs is ongoing.
There is high unmet medical need for treatment in AD, a progressive neurodegenerative disease which currently has no cure.
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) made early investments in the science that led to the Evoke trials, stressing that the full pathophysiology of AD needs to be addressed in order to discover possible treatment. From 2011, the ADDF provided nearly $1m to Paul Edison’s phase 2 study of liraglutide, another injectable GLP-1 drug.
Edison, a professor of neuroscience in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London, said: “The metabolic pathway remains a compelling area of investigation, and we will continue to pursue rigorous studies to determine how therapies targeting these mechanisms can be optimised and combined to achieve greater impact for patients.”
Founded in 1998, the ADDF is a foundation focused on accelerating the discovery and development of drugs to treat AD. It is the only public charity with this focus, and its funding has assisted in bringing to market the first Alzheimer’s PET scan (Amyvid) and blood test (PrecivityAD).
“With more than 70% of the Alzheimer’s drug pipeline now focused on non-amyloid targets, the field is moving steadily toward an era of precision medicine and combination therapies,” said Howard Fillit, co-founder and chief science officer of the ADDF. “The Evoke trials are an important part of this progress, demonstrating how large-scale studies of novel pathways can deepen our understanding of Alzheimer’s biology.”