A revolutionary AI model from the University of Cambridge reshapes Alzheimer’s clinical trials, enabling targeted treatments and accelerating drug discovery, potentially bringing hope to millions.
A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge has developed an artificial intelligence model capable of transforming how clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease are conducted. The groundbreaking model can predict the progression of cognitive decline in patients three times more accurately than standard clinical tests.
The AI was used to reanalyze data from a completed clinical trial of an Alzheimer’s drug, revealing the drug slowed cognitive decline by 46% in patients with early-stage, slow-progressing mild cognitive impairment. This condition often progresses to Alzheimer’s, marking a significant find for early intervention strategies.
“Promising new drugs fail when given to people too late, when they have no chance of benefiting from them. With our AI model we can finally identify patients precisely, and match the right patients to the right drugs,” senior author Zoe Kourtzi, a professor in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Psychology, said in a news release. “This makes trials more precise, so they can progress faster and cost less, turbocharging the search for a desperately-need precision medicine approach for dementia treatment.”
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, demonstrates that precise patient stratification — dividing patients into slow or rapidly progressing groups — enables more efficient and cost-effective clinical trials. By focusing on those most likely to benefit, the AI model can enhance the accuracy and speed of drug development.
“With our AI model, trials become more precise, so they can progress faster and cost less, turbocharging the search for a desperately-needed precision medicine approach for dementia treatment,” Kourtzi added.
The AI model helps scientists interpret the efficacy of drugs in patients’ groups by tracking the reduction of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain — a key marker of Alzheimer’s disease. This new approach could streamline the drug development process, making it faster and cheaper, improving the chances of finding effective treatments.
Health Innovation East England, the innovation arm of the National Health Service in East England, is collaborating with Kourtzi to implement the AI model into clinical practice.
“This AI-enabled approach could have a significant impact on easing NHS pressure and costs in dementia care by enabling more personalized drug development — identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment, resulting in faster access to effective medicines and targeted support for people living with dementia,” added Joanna Dempsey, principal advisor at Health Innovation East England.
Dementia is a significant global health concern, costing $1.3 trillion annually. Despite substantial investment in research, over 95% of dementia drug trials fail, partly due to variations in disease progression and treatment response.
“AI can guide us to the patients who will benefit from dementia medicines, by treating them at the stage when the drugs will make a difference, so we can finally start fighting back against these cruel diseases,” Kourtzi added.
The AI model’s potential to reduce the time and cost of clinical trials by accurately targeting responsive patients is a beacon of hope for accelerating the discovery of effective Alzheimer’s treatments.
“Like many people, I have watched hopelessly as dementia stole a loved one from me. We’ve got to accelerate the development of dementia medicines,” added Kourtzi. “Over £40 billion has already been spent over 30 years of research and development — we can’t wait another 30 years.”
Source: University of Cambridge