BACKGROUND Bapineuzumab, a humanized anti–amyloid-beta monoclonal antibody, is in clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. METHODS We conducted two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials involving patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease — one involving 1121 carriers of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele and the other involving 1331 noncarriers. Bapineuzumab or placebo, with doses varying by study, was administered by intravenous infusion every 13 weeks for 78 weeks. The primary outcome measures were scores on the 11-item cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog11, with scores ranging from 0 to 70 and higher scores indicating greater impairment) and the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD, with scores ranging from 0 to 100 and higher scores indicating less impairment). A total of 1090 carriers and 1114 noncarriers were included in the efficacy analysis. Secondary outcome measures included findings on positron-emission tomographic amyloid imaging with the use of Pittsburgh compound B (PIB-PET) and cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated tau (phospho-tau) concentrations. RESULTS There were no significant between-group differences in the primary outcomes. At week 78, the between-group differences in the change from baseline in the ADAS-cog11 and DAD scores (bapineuzumab group minus placebo group) were −0.2 (P = 0.80) and −1.2 (P = 0.34), respectively, in the carrier study; the corresponding differences in the noncarrier study were −0.3 (P = 0.64) and 2.8 (P = 0.07) with the 0.5-mg-per-kilogram dose of bapineuzumab and 0.4 (P = 0.62) and 0.9 (P = 0.55) with the 1.0-mg-per-kilogram dose. The major safety finding was amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema among patients receiving bapineuzumab, which increased with bapineuzumab dose and APOE ε4 allele number and which led to discontinuation of the 2.0-mg-per-kilogram dose. Between-group differences were observed with respect to PIB-PET and cerebrospinal fluid phospho-tau concentrations in APOE ε4 allele carriers but not in noncarriers. CONCLUSIONS Bapineuzumab did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, despite treatment differences in biomarkers observed in APOE ε4 carriers. (Funded by Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer; Bapineuzumab 301 and 302 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00575055 and NCT00574132, and EudraCT number, 2009-012748-17.)

Multifactorial mechanisms underlying late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) are poorly characterized from an integrative perspective. Here spatiotemporal alterations in brain amyloid-β deposition, metabolism, vascular, functional activity at rest, structural properties, cognitive integrity and peripheral proteins levels are characterized in relation to LOAD progression. We analyse over 7,700 brain images and tens of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Through a multifactorial data-driven analysis, we obtain dynamic LOAD–abnormality indices for all biomarkers, and a tentative temporal ordering of disease progression. Imaging results suggest that intra-brain vascular dysregulation is an early pathological event during disease development. Cognitive decline is noticeable from initial LOAD stages, suggesting early memory deficit associated with the primary disease factors. High abnormality levels are also observed for specific proteins associated with the vascular system's integrity. Although still subjected to the sensitivity of the algorithms and biomarkers employed, our results might contribute to the development of preventive therapeutic interventions.

Background Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients treated with bapineuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to amyloid-β. ARIA includes MRI signal abnormalities suggestive of vasogenic edema and sulcal effusions (ARIA-E) and hemosiderin deposits (ARIA-H). A better understanding of the incidence and risk factors for ARIA may further the development of amyloid-modifying treatments for AD. Methods Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed (kappa=0.76) and then reached consensus reads on over 2500 FLAIR-MRIs from 262 participants in three phase 2 studies of bapineuzumab. Subjects (n=210) were included in risk analyses if they had no evidence of ARIA-E on pre-treatment MRI, received bapineuzumab, and had at least one post-treatment MRI. Findings 36/210 (17%) subjects developed ARIA-E during treatment; 28 of these 36 (78%) did not report associated symptoms. Adverse events reported in 8 symptomatic patients included headache, confusion, neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal symptoms. 15/36 of the ARIA-E cases (42%) were detected only on central review. 13/15 received additional infusions while ARIA-E was present, without any associated symptoms reported. ARIA-E incidence increased with bapineuzumab dose (Hazard Ratio [HR] 2.24 per mg/kg increase in dose; p<0·001) and with APOE ε4 allele number (HR 2.55 per allele; p<0·001). Interpretation ARIA appears to represent a spectrum of imaging findings with variable clinical correlates, with some cases remaining asymptomatic even when treated through ARIA-E. The increased risk of ARIA with APOE ε4 and bapineuzumab dose, and the time course in relation to dosing, is consistent with alterations in vascular amyloid burden.

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Importance Agitation is common, persistent, and associated with adverse consequences for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pharmacological treatment options, including antipsychotics are not satisfactory. Objective The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of citalopram for agitation in patients with AD. Key secondary objectives examined effects of citalopram on function, caregiver distress, safety, cognitive safety, and tolerability. Design, Setting and Participants The Citalopram for Agitation in Alzheimer's Disease Study (CitAD) was a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group trial that enrolled 186 patients with probable AD and clinically significant agitation from eight academic centers in the US and Canada from August 2009 to January 2013. Interventions Participants (n=186) were randomized to receive a psychosocial intervention plus either citalopram (n=94) or placebo (n=92) for 9 weeks. Dose began at 10 mg/d with planned titration to 30 mg/d over 3 weeks based on response and tolerability. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcome measures were the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale, agitation subscale (NBRS-A) and the modified Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (mADCS-CGIC) Other outcomes were the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), activities of daily living (ADLs), caregiver distress, cognitive safety (MMSE), and adverse events. Results Participants on citalopram showed significant improvement compared to placebo on both primary outcome measures. NBRS-A estimated treatment difference at week 9 (citalopram minus placebo) was −0.93 [95% CI: −1.80 to −0.06], p = 0.036. mADCS-CGIC results showed 40% of citalopram participants having moderate or marked improvement from baseline compared to 26% on placebo, with estimated treatment effect (odds ratio of being at or better than a given CGIC category) of 2.13 [95% CI 1.23 to 3.69], p = 0.007. Participants on citalopram showed significant improvement on the CMAI, total NPI and caregiver distress scores but not on the NPI agitation subscale, ADLs, or in less use of rescue lorazepam. Worsening of cognition (−1.05 points [95% CI: −1.97 to −0.13], p = 0.026) and QT interval prolongation (18.1 ms [95% CI: 6.1, 30.1], p = 0.004) were seen in the citalopram group. Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with probable Alzheimer's disease and agitation receiving psychosocial intervention, the addition of citalopram compared with placebo significantly reduced agitation and caregiver distress, but cognitive and cardiac adverse effects of citalopram may limit its practical application at the 30 mg/d dose studied in this trial.