Cited by 264Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Association of Donanemab Treatment With Exploratory Plasma Biomarkers in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: A Secondary Analysis of the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ Randomized Clinical Trial

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Pontecorvo, Michael J., Lu, Ming, Burnham, Samantha C., Schade, Andrew E., Dage, Jeffrey L., Shcherbinin, Sergey, Collins, Emily C., Sims, John R. +1 more·2022·JAMA Neurology

Abstract

Importance: Plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer disease may be useful as minimally invasive pharmacodynamic measures of treatment outcomes. Objective: To analyze the association of donanemab treatment with plasma biomarkers associated with Alzheimer disease. Design, Setting, and Participants: TRAILBLAZER-ALZ was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted from December 18, 2017, to December 4, 2020, across 56 sites in the US and Canada. Exploratory biomarkers were prespecified with the post hoc addition of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein and amyloid-β. Men and women aged 60 to 85 years with gradual and progressive change in memory function for at least 6 months were included. A total of 1955 participants were assessed for eligibility. Key eligibility criteria include Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 20 to 28 and elevated amyloid and intermediate tau levels. Interventions: Randomized participants received donanemab or placebo every 4 weeks for up to 72 weeks. The first 3 doses of donanemab were given at 700 mg and then increased to 1400 mg with blinded dose reductions as specified based on amyloid reduction. Main Outcomes and Measures: Change in plasma biomarker levels after donanemab treatment. Results: In TRAILBLAZER-ALZ, 272 participants (mean [SD] age, 75.2 [5.5] years; 145 [53.3%] female) were randomized. Plasma levels of phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau 217 ) and glial fibrillary acidic protein were significantly lower with donanemab treatment compared with placebo as early as 12 weeks after the start of treatment (least square mean change difference vs placebo, –0.04 [95% CI, –0.07 to –0.02]; P = .002 and –0.04 [95% CI, –0.07 to –0.01]; P = .01, respectively). No significant differences in plasma levels of amyloid-β 42/40 and neurofilament light chain were observed between treatment arms at the end of treatment. Changes in plasma pTau 217 and glial fibrillary acidic protein were significantly correlated with the Centiloid percent change in amyloid (Spearman rank correlation coefficient [ R ] = 0.484 [95% CI, 0.359-0.592]; P < .001 and R = 0.453 [95% CI, 0.306-0.579]; P < .001, respectively) following treatment. Additionally, plasma levels of pTau 217 and glial fibrillary acidic protein were significantly correlated at baseline and following treatment ( R = 0.399 [95% CI, 0.278-0.508], P < .001 and R = 0.393 [95% CI, 0.254-0.517]; P < .001, respectively). Conclusions and Relevance: Significant reductions in plasma biomarkers pTau 217 and glial fibrillary acidic protein compared with placebo were observed following donanemab treatment in patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer disease. These easily accessible plasma biomarkers might provide additional evidence of Alzheimer disease pathology change through anti-amyloid therapy. Usefulness in assessing treatment response will require further evaluation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03367403

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  • Donanemab reduced the tau burden in the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes.

    “Donanemab reduced the tau burden in the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes and significantly decreased plasma pTau217 by 24% in the treatment group, whereas the placebo group exhibited a 6% increase in plasma pTau217 at the end of the trial [49].”

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Authors
Pontecorvo, M. J., Lu, M., Burnham, S. C., Schade, A. E., Dage, J. L., Shcherbinin, S., Collins, E. C., Sims, J. R., & Mintun, M. A.
Affiliations
  • Eli Lilly (United States) (US)
  • Indiana University Indianapolis (US)
Corresponding author
Pontecorvo, Michael J.
Venue
JAMA Neurology
Published
2022-12-01
Volume
79
Issue
12
Pages
1250
ISSN
2168-6149 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4306663551
Cited by
261
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 83 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 3
FWCI
32.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-nd
Locations
  • JAMA Neurology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IUScholarWorks (Indiana University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
donanemab, Alzheimer's disease, plasma biomarkers, pharmacodynamic biomarkers, phosphorylated tau217, glial fibrillary acidic protein, amyloid-beta, neurofilament light chain, anti-amyloid therapy, treatment response monitoring, neuroinflammation
MeSH terms
Aged, Alzheimer Disease, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Double-Blind Method, Female, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, Humans, Male, Plasma, Biomarkers, Amyloid beta-Peptides

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