Lars Lannfelt’s award for excellent research from Swedish Alzheimer’s Foundation
This year, the Swedish Alzheimer’s Foundation (Alzheimerfonden) has awarded its major research prize, worth SEK 2.5 million, to Lars Lannfelt, Senior Professor of Geriatrics at Uppsala University. He is receiving the award for his promising BAN2401 drug candidate, which has proved capable of delaying the course of the disease in patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
For many years, Professor Lannfelt has been researching the pathological changes in the brain that occur in Alzheimer’s disease; how they can be caused by genetic mutations; and how these mutations can be diagnosed and combated with new drugs. Lannfelt and his research group have succeeded in developing a drug candidate, BAN2401, that offers hope in terms of future medicines. The antibody has recently shown promising results in a clinical Phase 2b study comprising 856 patients.
“Getting this award is a fine recognition from the Foundation and the research community. And it’s tremendously good, of course, that the antibody seems to work,” says Lannfelt, who is now planning a Phase 3 study for confirmation.
“We believe this efficacy will go all the way, and we’re not worried. The latest study was such a large one as to leave little room for the chance factor. If all goes as it should, this may become one of the first drugs for treating Alzheimer’s on the market, with the key advantage that it’s shown a very good profile in terms of side-effects.”
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Anneli Waara