August 16, 2017 — The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium (BC) has launched a project with the potential to transform clinical trials and lead to the development of targeted therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. The Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Proteomics Project leverages results from a previous BC project to analyze potential biological markers (biomarkers) that can track AD in its earliest stages by illuminating important changes in the brain. This new understanding of AD progression will help improve the monitoring of early AD and a patient’s response to treatment.

The CSF Proteomics project team includes experts from the FNIH, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), University of Pennsylvania, Yale School of Medicine and six industry partners. The team will analyze five potential protein biomarkers found in samples of CSF (a clear fluid from the brain and spinal cord) taken over three or more years from participants of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). For each ADNI participant, the team will measure changes in the concentration of these proteins over time and compare the findings to imaging and clinical data previously collected to better understand AD progression.

The project will take 18 months to complete and all results will be made available to the research community. For more information about the project, click here.