America-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly (Lilly), the Australian Dementia Network and Monash University have signed a first-of-its-kind research project at the Australian Dementia Research Forum.
The collaboration was formalised last week and aims to establish a better understanding of patient characteristics and of the disease burden of individuals with mild cognitive impairment. It will also focus on the use of ADNeT’s registry data to improve understanding of early Alzheimer’s disease from the perspective of the patient and society.
ADNeT director Profesor Christopher Rowe said they were thrilled to announce the research project, and that the partnership represented a step forward in collective efforts to advance the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Through this comprehensive registry, we aim to gain deeper insights into the current landscape of Alzheimer’s disease in Australia. This important research will help unlock a crucial part of the puzzle when it comes to our understanding of how best to diagnose and treat this insidious disease early in the continuum. This is the first time research like this has been conducted in Australia and we couldn’t think of better partners to support us on this journey,” he said.
Lilly executive director Vinay Prusty added: “Collaborating with ADNeT and the registry team at Monash University is a major milestone for Lilly. This project exemplifies our dedication to uniting with key stakeholders in the Alzheimer’s community to drive forward groundbreaking research and innovative treatments.”
Lilly is also the company behind the Donanemad drug, which was approved for use in Australia in late May.
Professor Susannah Ahern from Clinical Registries at Monash University said by leveraging the strengths of all three organisations, they could make “significant advancements” in understanding and combating Alzheimer’s disease.
“The establishment of the ADNeT clinical quality registry in Australia is a crucial data asset for advancing our understanding of diagnosis and outcomes from Alzheimer’s disease,” she said.
“This new three-party collaboration will provide baseline characteristics of people with Alzheimer’s disease, on the cusp of the real-world implementation of novel disease-modifying treatments.
“Moreover, the data gathered will play a pivotal role in assessing national readiness for these treatments, and shaping future policies on Alzheimer’s disease.”
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