Downstream Biomarker Effects of Gantenerumab or Solanezumab in Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Disease: The DIAN-TU-001 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Effects of antiamyloid agents, targeting either fibrillar or soluble monomeric amyloid peptides, on downstream biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma are largely unknown in dominantly inherited Alzheimer disease (DIAD). Objective: To investigate longitudinal biomarker changes of synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in individuals with DIAD who are receiving antiamyloid treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants: From 2012 to 2019, the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trial Unit (DIAN-TU-001) study, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, investigated gantenerumab and solanezumab in DIAD. Carriers of gene variants were assigned 3:1 to either drug or placebo. The present analysis was conducted from April to June 2023. DIAN-TU-001 spans 25 study sites in 7 countries. Biofluids and neuroimaging from carriers of DIAD gene variants in the gantenerumab, solanezumab, and placebo groups were analyzed. Interventions: In 2016, initial dosing of gantenerumab, 225 mg (subcutaneously every 4 weeks) was increased every 8 weeks up to 1200 mg. In 2017, initial dosing of solanezumab, 400 mg (intravenously every 4 weeks) was increased up to 1600 mg every 4 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: Longitudinal changes in CSF levels of neurogranin, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2), chitinase 3-like 1 protein (YKL-40), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light protein (NfL), and plasma levels of GFAP and NfL. Results: Of 236 eligible participants screened, 43 were excluded. A total of 142 participants (mean [SD] age, 44 [10] years; 72 female [51%]) were included in the study (gantenerumab, 52 [37%]; solanezumab, 50 [35%]; placebo, 40 [28%]). Relative to placebo, gantenerumab significantly reduced CSF neurogranin level at year 4 (mean [SD] ß = -242.43 [48.04] pg/mL; P < .001); reduced plasma GFAP level at year 1 (mean [SD] ß = -0.02 [0.01] ng/mL; P = .02), year 2 (mean [SD] ß = -0.03 [0.01] ng/mL; P = .002), and year 4 (mean [SD] ß = -0.06 [0.02] ng/mL; P < .001); and increased CSF sTREM2 level at year 2 (mean [SD] ß = 1.12 [0.43] ng/mL; P = .01) and year 4 (mean [SD] ß = 1.06 [0.52] ng/mL; P = .04). Solanezumab significantly increased CSF NfL (log) at year 4 (mean [SD] ß = 0.14 [0.06]; P = .02). Correlation analysis for rates of change found stronger correlations between CSF markers and fluid markers with Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography for solanezumab and placebo. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial supports the importance of fibrillar amyloid reduction in multiple AD-related processes of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in CSF and plasma in DIAD. Additional studies of antiaggregated amyloid therapies in sporadic AD and DIAD are needed to determine the utility of nonamyloid biomarkers in determining disease modification. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04623242.

Examining amyloid reduction as a surrogate endpoint through latent class analysis using clinical trial data for dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence suggests that amyloid reduction could serve as a plausible surrogate endpoint for clinical and cognitive efficacy. The double-blind phase 3 DIAN-TU-001 trial tested clinical and cognitive declines with increasing doses of solanezumab or gantenerumab. METHODS: We used latent class (LC) analysis on data from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit 001 trial to test amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) reduction as a potential surrogate biomarker. RESULTS: LC analysis categorized participants into three classes: amyloid no change, amyloid reduction, and amyloid growth, based on longitudinal amyloid Pittsburgh compound B PET standardized uptake value ratio data. The amyloid-no-change class was at an earlier disease stage for amyloid amounts and dementia. Despite similar baseline characteristics, the amyloid-reduction class exhibited reductions in the annual decline rates compared to the amyloid-growth class across multiple biomarker, clinical, and cognitive outcomes. DISCUSSION: LC analysis indicates that amyloid reduction is associated with improved clinical outcomes and supports its use as a surrogate biomarker in clinical trials. HIGHLIGHTS: We used latent class (LC) analysis to test amyloid reduction as a surrogate biomarker. Despite similar baseline characteristics, the amyloid-reduction class exhibited remarkably better outcomes compared to the amyloid-growth class across multiple measures. LC analysis proves valuable in testing amyloid reduction as a surrogate biomarker in clinical trials lacking significant treatment effects.

Two Phase 3 Trials of Gantenerumab in Early Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Monoclonal antibodies that target amyloid-beta (Aß) have the potential to slow cognitive and functional decline in persons with early Alzheimer's disease. Gantenerumab is a subcutaneously administered, fully human, anti-Aß IgG1 monoclonal antibody with highest affinity for aggregated Aß that has been tested for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: We conducted two phase 3 trials (GRADUATE I and II) involving participants 50 to 90 years of age with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and evidence of amyloid plaques on positron-emission tomography (PET) or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing. Participants were randomly assigned to receive gantenerumab or placebo every 2 weeks. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the score on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB; range, 0 to 18, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive impairment) at week 116. RESULTS: A total of 985 and 980 participants were enrolled in the GRADUATE I and II trials, respectively. The baseline CDR-SB score was 3.7 in the GRADUATE I trial and 3.6 in the GRADUATE II trial. The change from baseline in the CDR-SB score at week 116 was 3.35 with gantenerumab and 3.65 with placebo in the GRADUATE I trial (difference, -0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.66 to 0.05; P = 0.10) and was 2.82 with gantenerumab and 3.01 with placebo in the GRADUATE II trial (difference, -0.19; 95% CI, -0.55 to 0.17; P = 0.30). At week 116, the difference in the amyloid level on PET between the gantenerumab group and the placebo group was -66.44 and -56.46 centiloids in the GRADUATE I and II trials, respectively, and amyloid-negative status was attained in 28.0% and 26.8% of the participants receiving gantenerumab in the two trials. Across both trials, participants receiving gantenerumab had lower CSF levels of phosphorylated tau 181 and higher levels of Aß42 than those receiving placebo; the accumulation of aggregated tau on PET was similar in the two groups. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema (ARIA-E) occurred in 24.9% of the participants receiving gantenerumab, and symptomatic ARIA-E occurred in 5.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Among persons with early Alzheimer's disease, the use of gantenerumab led to a lower amyloid plaque burden than placebo at 116 weeks but was not associated with slower clinical decline. (Funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche; GRADUATE I and II ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT03444870 and NCT03443973, respectively.).

Impact of pre-analytical sample handling factors on plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.

An unmet need exists for reliable plasma biomarkers of amyloid pathology, in the clinical laboratory setting, to streamline diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). For routine clinical use, a biomarker must provide robust and reliable results under pre-analytical sample handling conditions. We investigated the impact of different pre-analytical sample handling procedures on the levels of seven plasma biomarkers in development for potential routine use in AD. Using (1) fresh (never frozen) and (2) previously frozen plasma, we evaluated the effects of (A) storage time and temperature, (B) freeze/thaw (F/T) cycles, (C) anticoagulants, (D) tube transfer, and (E) plastic tube types. Blood samples were prospectively collected from patients with cognitive impairment undergoing investigation in a memory clinic. ß-amyloid 1-40 (Aß40), ß-amyloid 1-42 (Aß42), apolipoprotein E4, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament light chain, phosphorylated-tau (phospho-tau) 181, and phospho-tau-217 were measured using Elecsys® plasma prototype immunoassays. Recovery signals for each plasma biomarker and sample handling parameter were calculated. For all plasma biomarkers measured, pre-analytical effects were comparable between fresh (never frozen) and previously frozen samples. All plasma biomarkers tested were stable for ≤24 h at 4°C when stored as whole blood and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) plasma. Recovery signals were acceptable for up to five tube transfers, or two F/T cycles, and in both polypropylene and low-density polyethylene tubes. For all plasma biomarkers except Aß42 and Aß40, analyte levels were largely comparable between EDTA, lithium heparin, and sodium citrate tubes. Aß42 and Aß40 were most sensitive to pre-analytical handling, and the effects could only be partially compensated by the Aß42/Aß40 ratio. We provide recommendations for an optimal sample handling protocol for analysis of plasma biomarkers for amyloid pathology AD, to improve the reproducibility of future studies on plasma biomarkers assays and for potential use in routine clinical practice.

Identifying clinically useful biomarkers in neurodegenerative disease through a collaborative approach: the NeuroToolKit.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and heterogeneous disease, which requires reliable biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring disease activity. Preanalytical protocol and technical variability associated with biomarker immunoassays makes comparability of biomarker data across multiple cohorts difficult. This study aimed to compare cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker results across independent cohorts, including participants spanning the AD continuum. METHODS: Measured on the NeuroToolKit (NTK) prototype panel of immunoassays, 12 CSF biomarkers were evaluated from three cohorts (ALFA+, Wisconsin, and Abby/Blaze). A correction factor was applied to biomarkers found to be affected by preanalytical procedures (amyloid-ß1-42, amyloid-ß1-40, and alpha-synuclein), and results between cohorts for each disease stage were compared. The relationship between CSF biomarker concentration and cognitive scores was evaluated. RESULTS: Biomarker distributions were comparable across cohorts following correction. Correlations of biomarker values were consistent across cohorts, regardless of disease stage. Disease stage differentiation was highest for neurofilament light (NfL), phosphorylated tau, and total tau, regardless of the cohort. Correlation between biomarker concentration and cognitive scores was comparable across cohorts, and strongest for NfL, chitinase-3-like protein-1 (YKL40), and glial fibrillary acidic protein. DISCUSSION: The precision of the NTK enables merging of biomarker datasets, after correction for preanalytical confounders. Assessment of multiple cohorts is crucial to increase power in future studies into AD pathogenesis.

An accurate fully automated panel of plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: There is a great need for fully automated plasma assays that can measure amyloid beta (Aß) pathology and predict future Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. METHODS: Two cohorts (n = 920) were examined: Panel A+ (n = 32 cognitively unimpaired [CU], n = 106 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and n = 89 AD) and BioFINDER-1 (n = 461 CU, n = 232 MCI). Plasma Aß42/Aß40, phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181, two p-tau217 variants, ApoE4 protein, neurofilament light, and GFAP were measured using Elecsys prototype immunoassays. RESULTS: The best biomarker for discriminating Aß-positive versus Aß-negative participants was Aß42/Aß40 (are under the curve [AUC] 0.83-0.87). Combining Aß42/Aß40, p-tau181, and ApoE4 improved the AUCs significantly (0.90 to 0.93; P< 0.01). Adding additional biomarkers had marginal effects (ΔAUC ≤0.01). In BioFINDER, p-tau181, p-tau217, and ApoE4 predicted AD dementia within 6 years in CU (AUC 0.88) and p-tau181, p-tau217, and Aß42/Aß40 in MCI (AUC 0.87). DISCUSSION: The high accuracies for Aß pathology and future AD dementia using fully automated instruments are promising for implementing plasma biomarkers in clinical trials and clinical routine.

Clinical performance and robustness evaluation of plasma amyloid-ß42/40 prescreening.

INTRODUCTION: Further evidence is needed to support the use of plasma amyloid ß (Aß) biomarkers as Alzheimer's disease prescreening tools. This study evaluated the clinical performance and robustness of plasma Aß42 /Aß40 for amyloid positivity prescreening. METHODS: Data were collected from 333 BioFINDER and 121 Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study participants. Risk and predictive values versus percentile of plasma Aß42 /Aß40 evaluated the actionability of plasma Aß42 /Aß40 , and simulations modeled the impact of potential uncertainties and biases. Amyloid PET was the brain amyloidosis reference standard. RESULTS: Elecsys plasma Aß42 /Aß40 could potentially rule out amyloid pathology in populations with low-to-moderate amyloid positivity prevalence. However, simulations showed small measurement or pre-analytical errors in Aß42 and/or Aß40 cause misclassifications, impacting sensitivity or specificity. The minor fold change between amyloid PET positive and negative cases explains the biomarkers low robustness. DISCUSSION: Implementing plasma Aß42 /Aß40 for routine clinical use may pose significant challenges, with misclassification risks. HIGHLIGHTS: Plasma Aß42 /Aß40 ruled out amyloid PET positivity in a setting of low amyloid-positive prevalence. Including (pre-) analytical errors or measurement biases caused misclassifications. Plasma Aß42 /Aß40 had a low inherent dynamic range, independent of analytical method. Other blood biomarkers may be easier to implement as robust prescreening tools.

Evaluation of dose-dependent treatment effects after mid-trial dose escalation in biomarker, clinical, and cognitive outcomes for gantenerumab or solanezumab in dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: While the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) was ongoing, external data suggested higher doses were needed to achieve targeted effects; therefore, doses of gantenerumab were increased 5-fold, and solanezumab was increased 4-fold. We evaluated to what extent mid-trial dose increases produced a dose-dependent treatment effect. Methods: Using generalized linear mixed effects (LME) models, we estimated the annual low- and high-dose treatment effects in clinical, cognitive, and biomarker outcomes. Results: Both gantenerumab and solanezumab demonstrated dose-dependent treatment effects (significant for gantenerumab, non-significant for solanezumab) in their respective target amyloid biomarkers (Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography standardized uptake value ratio and cerebrospinal fluid amyloid beta 42), with gantenerumab demonstrating additional treatment effects in some downstream biomarkers. No dose-dependent treatment effects were observed in clinical or cognitive outcomes. Conclusions: Mid-trial dose escalation can be implemented as a remedy for an insufficient initial dose and can be more cost effective and less burdensome to participants than starting a new trial with higher doses, especially in rare diseases. Highlights: We evaluated the dose-dependent treatment effect of two different amyloid-specific immunotherapies.Dose-dependent treatment effects were observed in some biomarkers.No dose-dependent treatment effects were observed in clinical/cognitive outcomes, potentially due to the fact that the modified study may not have been powered to detect such treatment effects in symptomatic subjects at a mild stage of disease exposed to high (or maximal) doses of medication for prolonged durations.

Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Crenezumab vs Placebo in Adults With Early Alzheimer Disease: Two Phase 3 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials.

Importance: Alzheimer disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by ß-amyloid plaques and τ tangles in the brain, represents an unmet medical need with no fully approved therapeutics to modify disease progression. Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of crenezumab, a humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 antibody targeting ß-amyloid oligomers, in participants with prodromal to mild (early) AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: Two phase 3 multicenter randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group efficacy and safety studies of crenezumab in participants with early AD, CREAD and CREAD2, were initiated in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and were designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of crenezumab in participants with early AD. CREAD (194 sites in 30 countries) and CREAD2 (209 sites in 27 countries) were global multicenter studies. A total of 3736 and 3664 participants were screened in CREAD and CREAD2, respectively. A total of 3736 and 3664 participants were screened in CREAD and CREAD2, respectively. Both trials enrolled individuals aged 50 to 85 years with early AD. Participants with some comorbidities and evidence of cerebral infarction or more than 4 microbleeds or areas of leptomeningeal hemosiderosis on magnetic resonance imaging were excluded. After 2923 and 2858 were excluded, respectively, 813 participants in CREAD and 806 in CREAD2 were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either placebo or crenezumab. In the final analysis, there were 409 participants in the placebo group and 404 in the crenezumab group in CREAD and 399 in the placebo group and 407 in the crenezumab group in CREAD2. Data were analyzed up until January 2019 and August 2019, respectively. Interventions: Participants received placebo or 60 mg/kg crenezumab intravenously every 4 weeks for up to 100 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change from baseline to week 105 in Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score. Results: There were 813 participants in CREAD (mean [SD] age, 70.7 [8.2] years; 483 female and 330 male) and 806 in CREAD2 (mean [SD] age, 70.9 [7.7] years; 456 female and 350 male). Baseline characteristics were balanced between both groups. The between-group difference in mean change from baseline in CDR-SB score (placebo minus crenezumab) was -0.17 (95% CI, -0.86 to 0.53; P = .63) at week 105 in the CREAD study (88 placebo; 86 crenezumab). Compared with previous trials, no new safety signals were identified, and amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema were rare, mild, and transient. No meaningful changes in AD biomarkers were observed. Both studies were discontinued following a preplanned interim analysis indicating that CREAD was unlikely to meet the primary end point. Conclusions and Relevance: Crenezumab was well tolerated but did not reduce clinical decline in participants with early AD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: CREAD, NCT02670083; CREAD2, NCT03114657.

Test-retest variability of plasma biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease and its effects on clinical prediction models.

INTRODUCTION: The effect of random error on the performance of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) must be determined before clinical implementation. METHODS: We measured test-retest variability of plasma amyloid beta (Aß)42/Aß40, neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau)217 and simulated effects of this variability on biomarker performance when predicting either cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß status or conversion to AD dementia in 399 non-demented participants with cognitive symptoms. RESULTS: Clinical performance was highest when combining all biomarkers. Among single-biomarkers, p-tau217 performed best. Test-retest variability ranged from 4.1% (Aß42/Aß40) to 25% (GFAP). This variability reduced the performance of the biomarkers (≈ΔAUC [area under the curve] -1% to -4%) with the least effects on models with p-tau217. The percent of individuals with unstable predicted outcomes was lowest for the multi-biomarker combination (14%). DISCUSSION: Clinical prediction models combining plasma biomarkers-particularly p-tau217-exhibit high performance and are less effected by random error. Individuals with unstable predicted outcomes ("gray zone") should be recommended for further tests.

The global Alzheimer's Association round robin study on plasma amyloid ß methods.

INTRODUCTION: Blood-based assays to measure brain amyloid beta (Aß) deposition are an attractive alternative to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-based assays currently used in clinical settings. In this study, we examined different blood-based assays to measure Aß and how they compare among centers and assays. METHODS: Aliquots from 81 plasma samples were distributed to 10 participating centers. Seven immunological assays and four mass-spectrometric methods were used to measure plasma Aß concentrations. RESULTS: Correlations were weak for Aß42 while Aß40 correlations were stronger. The ratio Aß42/Aß40 did not improve the correlations and showed weak correlations. DISCUSSION: The poor correlations for Aß42 in plasma might have several potential explanations, such as the high levels of plasma proteins (compared to CSF), sensitivity to pre-analytical sample handling and specificity, and cross-reactivity of different antibodies. Different methods might also measure different pools of plasma Aß42. We, however, hypothesize that greater correlations might be seen in future studies because many of the methods have been refined during completion of this study.

Head-to-Head Comparison of 8 Plasma Amyloid-ß 42/40 Assays in Alzheimer Disease.

Importance: Blood-based tests for brain amyloid-ß (Aß) pathology are needed for widespread implementation of Alzheimer disease (AD) biomarkers in clinical care and to facilitate patient screening and monitoring of treatment responses in clinical trials. Objective: To compare the performance of plasma Aß42/40 measured using 8 different Aß assays when detecting abnormal brain Aß status in patients with early AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study included 182 cognitively unimpaired participants and 104 patients with mild cognitive impairment from the BioFINDER cohort who were enrolled at 3 different hospitals in Sweden and underwent Aß positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma collection from 2010 to 2014. Plasma Aß42/40 was measured using an immunoprecipitation-coupled mass spectrometry developed at Washington University (IP-MS-WashU), antibody-free liquid chromatography MS developed by Araclon (LC-MS-Arc), and immunoassays from Roche Diagnostics (IA-Elc); Euroimmun (IA-EI); and Amsterdam University Medical Center, ADx Neurosciences, and Quanterix (IA-N4PE). Plasma Aß42/40 was also measured using an IP-MS-based method from Shimadzu in 200 participants (IP-MS-Shim) and an IP-MS-based method from the University of Gothenburg (IP-MS-UGOT) and another immunoassay from Quanterix (IA-Quan) among 227 participants. For validation, 122 participants (51 cognitively normal, 51 with mild cognitive impairment, and 20 with AD dementia) were included from the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative who underwent Aß-PET and plasma Aß assessments using IP-MS-WashU, IP-MS-Shim, IP-MS-UGOT, IA-Elc, IA-N4PE, and IA-Quan assays. Main Outcomes and Measures: Discriminative accuracy of plasma Aß42/40 quantified using 8 different assays for abnormal CSF Aß42/40 and Aß-PET status. Results: A total of 408 participants were included in this study. In the BioFINDER cohort, the mean (SD) age was 71.6 (5.6) years and 49.3% of the cohort were women. When identifying participants with abnormal CSF Aß42/40 in the whole cohort, plasma IP-MS-WashU Aß42/40 showed significantly higher accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.86; 95% CI, 0.81-0.90) than LC-MS-Arc Aß42/40, IA-Elc Aß42/40, IA-EI Aß42/40, and IA-N4PE Aß42/40 (AUC range, 0.69-0.78; P < .05). Plasma IP-MS-WashU Aß42/40 performed significantly better than IP-MS-UGOT Aß42/40 and IA-Quan Aß42/40 (AUC, 0.84 vs 0.68 and 0.64, respectively; P < .001), while there was no difference in the AUCs between IP-MS-WashU Aß42/40 and IP-MS-Shim Aß42/40 (0.87 vs 0.83; P = .16) in the 2 subcohorts where these biomarkers were available. The results were similar when using Aß-PET as outcome. Plasma IPMS-WashU Aß42/40 and IPMS-Shim Aß42/40 showed highest coefficients for correlations with CSF Aß42/40 (r range, 0.56-0.65). The BioFINDER results were replicated in the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort (mean [SD] age, 72.4 [5.4] years; 43.4% women), where the IP-MS-WashU assay performed significantly better than the IP-MS-UGOT, IA-Elc, IA-N4PE, and IA-Quan assays but not the IP-MS-Shim assay. Conclusions and Relevance: The results from 2 independent cohorts indicate that certain MS-based methods performed better than most of the immunoassays for plasma Aß42/40 when detecting brain Aß pathology.

First amyloid ß1-42 certified reference material for re-calibrating commercial immunoassays.

INTRODUCTION: Reference materials based on human cerebrospinal fluid were certified for the mass concentration of amyloid beta (Aß)1-42 (Aß42 ). They are intended to be used to calibrate diagnostic assays for Aß42 . METHODS: The three certified reference materials (CRMs), ERM-DA480/IFCC, ERM-DA481/IFCC and ERM-DA482/IFCC, were prepared at three concentration levels and characterized using isotope dilution mass spectrometry methods. Roche, EUROIMMUN, and Fujirebio used the three CRMs to re-calibrate their immunoassays. RESULTS: The certified Aß42 mass concentrations in ERM-DA480/IFCC, ERM-DA481/IFCC, and ERM-DA482/IFCC are 0.45, 0.72, and 1.22 µg/L, respectively, with expanded uncertainties (k = 2) of 0.07, 0.11, and 0.18 µg/L, respectively. Before re-calibration, a good correlation (Pearson's r > 0.97), yet large biases, were observed between results from different commercial assays. After re-calibration the between-assay bias was reduced to < 5%. DISCUSSION: The Aß42 CRMs can ensure the equivalence of results between methods and across platforms for the measurement of Aß42 .

Blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's pathology and the diagnostic process for a disease-modifying treatment: Projecting the impact on the cost and wait times.

INTRODUCTION: Concerns have been raised about the limited health system capacity for identification of patients who are eligible for a disease-modifying Alzheimer's treatment (DMT). Blood-based biomarker (BBBM) tests are a promising tool to improve triaging at the primary care level. We projected their impact on cost of and wait times during the diagnostic process. METHODS: We compare four scenarios for triaging patients at the primary care level from the perspective of the U.S. health care system: (1) cognitive test only (Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]), (2) BBBM test only, (3) MMSE followed by BBBM if positive, and (4) BBBM followed by MMSE if positive. RESULTS: Referring patients to dementa specialists based on MMSE or BBBM results alone would continuously require more specialist appointments than projected to be available until 2050. Combining MMSE and BBBM would eliminate wait lists after the first 3 years and reduce average annual cost by $400 to 700 million, while increasing correctly identified cases by about 120,000 per year. DISCUSSION: The combination BBBM with MMSE is projected to increase the efficiency and value of the triage process for DMT eligibility.

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Crenezumab in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Treated with Escalating Doses for up to 133 Weeks.

BACKGROUND: Crenezumab is a fully humanized, monoclonal anti-amyloid-ß immunoglobulin G4 antibody. OBJECTIVE: This Phase Ib study (NCT02353598) evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of crenezumabat doses of ≤120 mg/kg administered intravenously every 4 weeks (q4w). Immunogenicity and exploratory biomarkers were also evaluated. METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind study, participants (aged 50-90 years) with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyloid-positive positron emission tomography (PET) scan were randomized to receive crenezumab 30 or 45 mg/kg (Cohort 1, n = 21), 60 mg/kg (Cohort 2, n = 21), or 120 mg/kg (Cohort 3, n = 19) or corresponding placebo (n = 14) intravenously q4w for 13 weeks. Seventy-one participants were subsequently enrolled in an optional open-label extension (OLE) and received crenezumab at the originally assigned dose level, except for Cohort 3 (crenezumab 60 mg/kg during OLE). Participants received regular brain MRIs to assess amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA). Results up to Week 133 are reported. RESULTS: Approximately 94% of participants experienced ≥1 adverse event (AE). Most AEs were mild or moderate; 15.5% experienced a Grade ≥3 AE. No ARIA-edema/effusion (ARIA-E) events were observed. New ARIA-micro hemorrhages and hemosiderosis (ARIA-H) were reported in 4.9% (double-blind treatment period) and 9.9% (combined double-blind treatment and OLE periods) of participants. Steady-state trough concentrations of crenezumab were dose-proportional and maintained for each dose level. CONCLUSION: Crenezumab doses of ≤120 mg/kg intravenously q4w were well tolerated. The observed safety profile for ≤133 weeks of treatment in a mild-to-moderate AD population was similar to that seen in previous trials.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effect of crenezumab on plasma and cerebrospinal fluid beta-amyloid in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Crenezumab, a fully humanized anti-beta-amyloid (Aß) immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) monoclonal antibody, binds to both monomeric and aggregated forms of Aß. We assessed the pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) of crenezumab and its interaction with monomeric Aß(1-40) and Aß(1-42) peptides in serum/plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from the phase II ABBY and BLAZE studies and the phase Ib GN29632 study. METHODS: In ABBY, BLAZE, and GN29632 studies, patients with mild-to-moderate AD were treated with either placebo or crenezumab (300 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks [q2w], or 15 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg, or 120 mg/kg intravenously q4w). Serum/plasma PK/PD analyses included samples from 131 patients who received crenezumab in all three studies. CSF PK/PD analyses included samples from 76 patients who received crenezumab in ABBY or BLAZE. The impact of baseline patient factors on Aß profiles was also evaluated. RESULTS: The serum concentration of crenezumab increased in a dose-proportional manner between 15 and 120 mg/kg q4w. Total monomeric plasma Aß(1-40) and Aß(1-42) levels significantly increased after crenezumab administration. The mean crenezumab CSF to serum ratio was ~ 0.3% and was similar across dosing cohorts/routes of administration. No clear correlation was observed between crenezumab concentration and Aß(1-42) increase in CSF at week 69. The target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) model described the observed plasma concentration-time profiles of crenezumab and Aß well. Elimination clearance (CLel) and central volume of distribution (Vcent) of crenezumab were estimated at 0.159 L/day and 2.89 L, respectively, corresponding to a half-life of ~ 20 days. Subcutaneous bioavailability was estimated at 66.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Crenezumab PK was dose proportional up to 120 mg/kg, with a half-life consistent with IgG monoclonal antibodies. Our findings provide evidence for peripheral target engagement in patients with mild-to-moderate AD. The study also showed that a model-based approach is useful in making inference on PK/PD relationship with unmeasured species such as free plasma Aß levels. TRIAL REGISTRATIONS: ABBY: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01343966. Registered April 28, 2011. BLAZE: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01397578. Registered July 19, 2011. GN29632: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02353598. Registered February 3, 2015.

Performance of Fully Automated Plasma Assays as Screening Tests for Alzheimer Disease-Related ß-Amyloid Status.

IMPORTANCE: Accurate blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD) might improve the diagnostic accuracy in primary care, referrals to memory clinics, and screenings for AD trials. OBJECTIVE: To examine the accuracy of plasma ß-amyloid (Aß) and tau measured using fully automated assays together with other blood-based biomarkers to detect cerebral Aß. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Two prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter studies. Study participants were consecutively enrolled between July 6, 2009, and February 11, 2015 (cohort 1), and between January 29, 2000, and October 11, 2006 (cohort 2). Data were analyzed in 2018. The first cohort comprised 842 participants (513 cognitively unimpaired [CU], 265 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 64 with AD dementia) from the Swedish BioFINDER study. The validation cohort comprised 237 participants (34 CU, 109 MCI, and 94 AD dementia) from a German biomarker study. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß42/Aß40 ratio was used as the reference standard for brain Aß status. Plasma Aß42, Aß40 and tau were measured using Elecsys immunoassays (Roche Diagnostics) and examined as predictors of Aß status in logistic regression models in cohort 1 and replicated in cohort 2. Plasma neurofilament light chain (NFL) and heavy chain (NFH) and APOE genotype were also examined in cohort 1. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age of the 842 participants in cohort 1 was 72 (5.6) years, with a range of 59 to 88 years, and 446 (52.5%) were female. For the 237 in cohort 2, mean (SD) age was 66 (10) years with a range of 23 to 85 years, and 120 (50.6%) were female. In cohort 1, plasma Aß42 and Aß40 predicted Aß status with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.77-0.83). When adding APOE, the AUC increased significantly to 0.85 (95% CI, 0.82-0.88). Slight improvements were seen when adding plasma tau (AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.83-0.88) or tau and NFL (AUC, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84-0.89) to Aß42, Aß40 and APOE. The results were similar in CU and cognitively impaired participants, and in younger and older participants. Applying the plasma Aß42 and Aß40 model from cohort 1 in cohort 2 resulted in slightly higher AUC (0.86; 95% CI, 0.81-0.91), but plasma tau did not contribute. Using plasma Aß42, Aß40, and APOE in an AD trial screening scenario reduced positron emission tomography costs up to 30% to 50% depending on cutoff. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Plasma Aß42 and Aß40 measured using Elecsys immunoassays predict Aß status in all stages of AD with similar accuracy in a validation cohort. Their accuracy can be further increased by analyzing APOE genotype. Potential future applications of these blood tests include prescreening of Aß positivity in clinical AD trials to lower the costs and number of positron emission tomography scans or lumbar punctures.

Target engagement in an alzheimer trial: Crenezumab lowers amyloid ß oligomers in cerebrospinal fluid.

OBJECTIVE: Oligomeric forms of amyloid ß protein (oAß) are believed to be principally responsible for neurotoxicity in Alzheimer disease (AD), but it is not known whether anti-Aß antibodies are capable of lowering oAß levels in humans. METHODS: We developed an ultrasensitive immunoassay and used it to measure oAß in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 104 AD subjects participating in the ABBY and BLAZE phase 2 trials of the anti-Aß antibody crenezumab. Patients received subcutaneous (SC) crenezumab (300mg) or placebo every 2 weeks, or intravenous (IV) crenezumab (15mg/kg) or placebo every 4 weeks for 68 weeks. Ninety-eight of the 104 patients had measurable baseline oAß levels, and these were compared to levels at week 69 in placebo (n = 28), SC (n = 35), and IV (n = 35) treated patients. RESULTS: Among those receiving crenezumab, 89% of SC and 86% of IV patients had lower levels of oAß at week 69 versus baseline. The difference in the proportion of patients with decreasing levels was significant for both treatment arms: p = 0.0035 for SC and p = 0.01 for IV crenezumab versus placebo. The median percentage change was -48% in the SC arm and -43% in the IV arm. No systematic change was observed in the placebo group, with a median change of -13% and equivalent portions with negative and positive change. INTERPRETATION: Crenezumab lowered CSF oAß levels in the large majority of treated patients tested. These results support engagement of the principal pathobiological target in AD and identify CSF oAß as a novel pharmacodynamic biomarker for use in trials of anti-Aß agents. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:215-224.

Preanalytical sample handling recommendations for Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the influence of common preanalytical factors on the measurement of Alzheimer's disease-specific biomarkers in human plasma. METHODS: Amyloid ß peptides (Aß[1-40], Aß[1-42]) and total Tau plasma concentrations were quantified using fully automated Roche Elecsys assays. RESULTS: Aß(1-40), Aß(1-42), and total Tau plasma concentrations were not affected by up to three freeze/thaw cycles, up to five tube transfers, the collection tube material, or the size; circadian rhythm had a minor effect. All three biomarkers were influenced by the anticoagulant used, particularly total Tau. Aß concentrations began decreasing 1 hour after blood draw/before centrifugation and decreased by up to 5% and 10% at 2 and 6 hours, respectively. For separated plasma, time to measurement influenced Aß levels by up to 7% after 6 hours and 10% after 24 hours. DISCUSSION: Our findings provide guidance for standardizing blood sample collection, handling, and storage to ensure reliable analysis of Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers in routine practice and clinical trials.

Current state of Alzheimer's fluid biomarkers.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a complex and heterogeneous pathophysiology. The number of people living with AD is predicted to increase; however, there are no disease-modifying therapies currently available and none have been successful in late-stage clinical trials. Fluid biomarkers measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood hold promise for enabling more effective drug development and establishing a more personalized medicine approach for AD diagnosis and treatment. Biomarkers used in drug development programmes should be qualified for a specific context of use (COU). These COUs include, but are not limited to, subject/patient selection, assessment of disease state and/or prognosis, assessment of mechanism of action, dose optimization, drug response monitoring, efficacy maximization, and toxicity/adverse reactions identification and minimization. The core AD CSF biomarkers Aß42, t-tau, and p-tau are recognized by research guidelines for their diagnostic utility and are being considered for qualification for subject selection in clinical trials. However, there is a need to better understand their potential for other COUs, as well as identify additional fluid biomarkers reflecting other aspects of AD pathophysiology. Several novel fluid biomarkers have been proposed, but their role in AD pathology and their use as AD biomarkers have yet to be validated. In this review, we summarize some of the pathological mechanisms implicated in the sporadic AD and highlight the data for several established and novel fluid biomarkers (including BACE1, TREM2, YKL-40, IP-10, neurogranin, SNAP-25, synaptotagmin, α-synuclein, TDP-43, ferritin, VILIP-1, and NF-L) associated with each mechanism. We discuss the potential COUs for each biomarker.