Results indicate ongoing progress in developing combination treatments to tackle the complete biology of Alzheimer's

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, Biogen revealed top-line findings from the Phase 2 CELIA trial evaluating diranersen, an experimental therapy intended to reduce tau levels in patients with early Alzheimer's disease. Although it missed the primary endpoint, the study showed tau reductions along with hints of slower cognitive decline, prompting Biogen to move forward with additional testing.

"These results reflect the growing momentum and diversification across the Alzheimer's field," said Isobel Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). "With disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's now available, the next step is to build on that foundation with new approaches that can expand treatment options and move us closer to precision medicine. That is the next generation of science the ADDF has long worked toward, and these results are an encouraging signal that the Alzheimer's pipeline is becoming broader, deeper, and more ambitious."

"We've seen meaningful progress with amyloid-targeted therapies, and these results suggest the field is moving closer to doing the same for tau," said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. "While we need to see the full data, diranersen is the first therapy of its kind to reach this stage, offering early proof of concept that reducing tau could have both biological and clinical effects. A successful tau-targeting therapy would be a major milestone for the field, moving us closer to a future where we can treat multiple core Alzheimer's pathologies in combination to address the full complexity of this disease."

With two disease-modifying anti-amyloid treatments now approved, targeting tau offers a key chance to broaden options for Alzheimer's care. These findings arrive amid an expanding Alzheimer's research landscape, where 75% of ongoing trials focus on targets beyond amyloid and tau - such as inflammation, metabolic issues, and oxidative stress. This wider array of approaches is vital as the field advances toward combination strategies that simultaneously combat various root causes of the disease.

Full top-line results from the CELIA trial will be featured at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), set for July 12-16, 2026, in London.

About The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)

Established in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation dedicates itself to speeding up drug development for preventing, treating, and curing Alzheimer's disease. As the sole public charity focused exclusively on funding Alzheimer's drugs, the ADDF uses a venture philanthropy approach to back research in academia and biotech. Its leadership has been instrumental in launching the first Alzheimer's PET scan (Amyvid®) and blood test (PrecivityAD®), while also driving the current vibrant and varied drug development pipeline. Thanks to donor support, the ADDF has granted nearly $400 million for 792 programs on Alzheimer's drug development, biomarkers, and prevention across 21 countries.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation