A Promising Trial Targets a Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s

In an article from the New York Times, Dr. Howard Fillit, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), provides context on a promising gene therapy approach for treating Alzheimer’s disease supported by the ADDF.

The study targets the APOE4 gene, which increases a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s by anywhere from 30 to 55%. “We’ve known about this risk factor for almost 30 years now,” explains Dr. Fillit. The ADDF’s strategy is centered on the biology of aging, suggesting we must address all of the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s, including genetics, to have the best chance at developing effective treatments.

The study featured in the New York Times is supported by Lexeo Therapeutics, a company founded by gene therapy pioneer Dr. Ronald Crystal, of whom the ADDF was an early funder. The approach attempts to use another gene variant, APOE2, which has shown to reduce Alzheimer’s risk, to protect people from the effects of the APOE4 gene and help to prevent the disease.

Read the full article here.