Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, making it the most common neurodegenerative disorder. There is an urgent need for therapies that slow the progression and ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease to address this global healthcare crisis.

It is believed two different proteins – Aβ (amyloid beta) and tau – are primary contributors to Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Misfolded Aβ builds up to form plaques between nerve cells in the brain. Tangles of twisted tau fibrils spread from cell to cell and cause build up inside the neurons. People with Alzheimer’s disease develop these pathological hallmarks of the disease in a predictable pattern as the disease progresses, starting in the centers of the brain responsible for memory and spreading out from there to other regions of the brain.

Our team leverages this foundational knowledge along with insights gained over the last 20 years of drug development in the Alzheimer’s disease space to develop new approaches to address this complex disease.

Prothena’s Alzheimer’s disease portfolio spans next-generation antibody immunotherapy, small molecule and vaccine approaches, geared toward building upon current therapies to advance the treatment paradigm through increased patient access and an enhanced patient experience.