Findings validate the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation's long-standing leadership in advancing strategies that target the full pathobiology of the disease

NEW YORK, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new analysis of the Alzheimer's drug development pipeline, led by Goodes Prize winner and longtime Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) collaborator Dr. Jeff Cummings; Joy Chambers-Grundy Professor of Brain Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; underscores how dramatically the pipeline has evolved over the past decade, with a growing focus on the full pathobiology of the disease ushering in a new era of treatments.

"For nearly 30 years, the ADDF has championed a biology-driven approach and this report is a clear validation," said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. "Alzheimer's is a complex, multifactorial disease, and we have long believed effectively treating it will require therapies that target multiple underlying mechanisms. Today, that shift is evident across the pipeline, including a significant increase in therapies targeting inflammation, which have grown from just 6% of trials to 18% over the past decade. This progress is laying the groundwork for a new generation of therapies, which will enable the same type of tailored precision medicine that transformed cancer care."

The report, "Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development Pipeline: 2026," acknowledged as gold standard in the field, identified 158 different therapies being evaluated in active clinical trials, up from 93 just ten years ago. 75% of current trials are now aimed at pathways beyond amyloid and tau, reflecting continued growth in not only the number of agents, but the broadening range of targets, which will be critical as we move toward combination therapies that can address multiple underlying causes of Alzheimer's in tandem.

The ADDF has further strengthened its partnership with Dr. Cummings through the Biomarker Observatory, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to provide a comprehensive view of biomarker use across Alzheimer's clinical trials and accelerate the development of effective treatments. Within the active clinical trials summarized by this year's pipeline report, 83% include a biomarker.

"Alzheimer's drug development has moved beyond one pathway to the full biology of the disease, and that's what will unlock combination therapies and precision medicine," said Laura Nisenbaum, PhD, Executive Director of Drug Development at the ADDF. "The next generation of therapeutics will build on this foundation, expanding our arsenal to complement existing anti-amyloid therapies with a comprehensive range of drugs and biomarkers to stop this disease in its tracks."

About The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)

Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer's, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. The ADDF's leadership and contributions to the field have played a pivotal role in bringing the first Alzheimer's PET scan (Amyvid®) and blood test (PrecivityAD®) to market, as well as fueling the current robust and diverse drug pipeline. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded nearly $400 million to fund 792 Alzheimer's drug development, biomarker, and prevention programs in 21 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

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SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation