How is the EU supporting research into Alzheimer’s disease?

Subject: How is the EU supporting research into Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is now becoming increasingly widespread in Europe.

Alzheimer Europe, an NGO representing patients with dementia, estimates that in 2018 as many as 7.8 million EU citizens, two-thirds of them women, were suffering from this disorder.

According to Jean Georges, Executive Director of Alzheimer Europe, these numbers are expected to increase in line with Europe’s ageing population, reaching an estimated 115 million by 2050.

Recent research in Italy has revealed the existence of an experimental molecule able to slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

When administered through the nose during clinical trials on animals, it was found to prevent the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, a discovery that could prove to be a major breakthrough in the study of this severe form of dementia.

In view of this:

1. Can the Commission say what support is being given scientific research in this field?

2. How will it support the families of Alzheimer sufferers, that is to say the men and women that are being called upon to bear the direct consequences of this devastating illness?

Answer given by Ms Gabriel on behalf of the European Commission

(18 November 2022)

The EU strongly supports brain research via its framework programmes for research and innovation. Under the previous programme, Horizon 2020 (1), the EU invested over EUR 5 billion for such research, including more than EUR 420 million for research on Alzheimer’s disease.

Key relevant EU-supported initiatives are the public-public partnership ‘EU Joint Programme on Neurodegenerative Disease Research’ (JPND) (2) and the public-private partnership, the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) (3).

Examples of projects include AMYPAD (4) studying the optimal use of amyloid imaging (5) for more efficient clinical trials, and EURO-FINGERS (6) aimed at delivering interventions to prevent/ delay dementia in Alzheimer’s, based on a lifestyle and vascular prevention model.

The EU also funds the EBRA project (7) aimed at developing a common European agenda on brain research, which also considers Alzheimer’s disease and the needs of patients and their caregivers.

This agenda will provide input for developing a potential European partnership on ‘Brain Health’ under the upcoming (2nd) Strategic Plan of Horizon Europe. As previous programmes (8), Horizon Europe (9) will continue to offer funding opportunities for Alzheimer’s research.

The Healthier together — EU non-communicable diseases (NCD) initiative (10) supports EU countries in identifying and implementing effective policies and actions to reduce the burden of major NCDs.

⋅1∙ https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-2020_en

⋅2∙ JPND’s website: https://www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu/ and relevant 2022 call topic: https://www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu/initiatives/annual-calls-for-

proposals/understanding-the-mechanisms-of-non-pharmacological-interventions/ ⋅3∙ IHI’s website: https://www.ihi.europa.eu/ and relevant 2022 call topic: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-

details/horizon-ju-ihi-2022-01-01

⋅4∙ ‘Amyloid imaging to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease’ (AMYPAD) project funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), the predecessor of the IHI;

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/115952

⋅5∙ Namely, β-amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.

⋅6∙ EURO-FINGERS project funded by JPND; https://www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PROJECT-EU-Fingers.pdf

⋅7∙ European Brain Research Area ‘EBRA’ project: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/825348 and final October 2022 conference: https://www.ebra.eu/final-

conference/

⋅8∙ Such as FP7 (https://cordis.europa.eu/programme/id/FP7) and Horizon 2020 (see footnote 1).

⋅9∙ https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

⋅10∙ https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/healthier-together-eu-non-communicable-diseases-initiative_en#:~:text=The%20European

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| | )The initiative covers the 2022-2027 period and includes actions on mental health and neurological disorders, including dementia.

During this period, the EU4Health programme can be used for funding actions between Member States and with stakeholders, including patients and their caregivers, to reduce the burden of NCDs, like Alzheimer’s.