PAC Lab Article Written By Brittany Armstrong
The 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) took place July 27th – 31st in Toronto, Canada. Each year, this conference brings together distinguished researchers, clinicians, and dementia professionals from around the world to share the latest research and innovations in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Here are a few highlights from the 2025 conference:
- The Alzheimer’s Association released its first clinical practice guideline focused on using blood-based biomarker (BBM) tests to help specialists more accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in patients with cognitive impairment. These tests, which detect abnormal proteins linked to Alzheimer’s in the blood, are less invasive and more accessible than traditional methods like spinal taps or brain scans. The guideline provides clear, evidence-based recommendations on how and when to use BBM tests, emphasizing they should be used only after a full clinical evaluation and interpreted in a medical context.
- Researchers at Boston University presented data from a study focused on women with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brain scans showed that areas of the brain that shrink in women with TBI are some of the same areas that shrink in people with dementia. These findings add to our understanding of how TBI increases the risk for dementia, especially among women.
- The Roche biotechnology laboratory has been studying an investigational drug designed to eliminate amyloid-beta plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. They recently completed phase II of their trial which included 149 early‑Alzheimer’s patients (average age 72; 60% APOE-e4 carriers) with PET-confirmed amyloid plaques. Five dosing arms were tested (placebo, 0.2, 0.6, 1.8, or 3.6 mg/kg) for 28 weeks. Results showed that both the 1.8 mg/kg and 3.6 mg/kg doses produced statistically significant plaque reductions compared to placebo, and that the highest dose (3.6 mg/kg) yielding the most impact. The next step is a phase III trial with approximately 1,600 participants comparing placebo to the 3.6 mg/kg.
If you’re interested in learning more about the exciting discoveries shared at the 2025 AAIC, visit https://aaic.alz.org.
