Oral semaglutide as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the effects of GLP-1 analogue, oral semaglutide in Alzheimer's disease
IRAS ID
1004950
Contact name
Paul Edison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Eudract number
2022-000247-68
Research summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterised by a progressive loss of global function and is thought to affect 10% of individuals over 65 years, rising to over 40% in those aged over 85 years. Currently, there is no licensed treatment that can prevent the disease from developing and the current treatments only help with controlling symptoms associated with the disease.
Given the urgent need for an effective treatment, we are carrying out a study to evaluate the effect of a drug that is already used for the treatment of diabetes, in AD. Diabetes has been identified as a risk factor for AD and it has been shown that regulation of insulin is abnormal in AD brains. This study has two groups, but neither group nor the investigator will know which group a participant is in. One group will be given the study drug (Semaglutide) and the other group will be given a placebo (dummy drug, containing exactly the same solution as in the study drug, but without the semaglutide). Participants will take the drug orally, once a day. Participants have a 50% chance of receiving the study drug and a 50% chance of receiving a placebo.
As part of the study, we will use a PET/CT scanner (brain scan) to look at glucose utilisation in the brain by using a tracer called [18F]SynVesT-1. The brain scans will be performed at the start of the study and then again at the end of the study, after 12 months treatment with either semaglutide or a placebo. This is so we can evaluate the effects of the study medication and how it effects the memory.REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0458
Date of REC Opinion
6 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion