Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial to Help Our Familias Prevent Memory Decline!

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Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than their white peers.

Its why diversity in clinical trials is absolutely critical. Fortunately, those studies can help us fight back against Alzheimer’s.

If you are age 55 to 80, you can volunteer for the AHEAD Clinical Trial that aims to protect against the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, led by the experts at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio.

“I got involved with the AHEAD clinical trial because both of my parents had Alzheimer’s,” Dave Ralberer, an AHEAD study participant and study partner, said. “My mother was 72 when she passed away. My dad has been struggling with the disease for 13 years. I have the unusual opportunity to be working with doctors that are on the forefront of the research.

“They are giving me something that might let me hang on to my memories for much longer.”

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

What is a Clinical Trial?

Clinical trials can help researchers create effective treatments, or better understand illnesses.

For Alzheimer’s, researchers are learning more and more through clinical trials to help slow, manage, and treat this disease, and improve brain function.

Historically, Latinos have been underrepresented in Alzheimer’s studies due to linguistic barriers, lack of culturally sensitive providers, and socioeconomic disparities.

Without Latino volunteers for trials, the benefits may miss this group.

“Latinos represent 18.5% of the U.S. population but less than 10% in federal clinical trials,” said Dr. Patricia Chalela, a health promotion researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. “Underrepresentation of minorities in clinical trials results in disparities of cancer outcomes and limits generalizability of the findings because researchers cannot study how minority patients respond to new treatments.”

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

What is the AHEAD Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio? 

The AHEAD Clinical Trial will study if Lecanemab treatment reduces amyloid, a protein that accumulates in a brain with Alzheimer’s years before symptoms.

Researchers hope that using this medication, they can diminish amyloid plaque in hopes of reducing people’s risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s. It will also collect vital information on Alzheimer’s markers and relevant outcomes for future clinical trials.

“In this study, we aim to reduce the level of amyloid plaque by using study medication to hopefully protect them from developing cognitive decline,” said AHEAD study leaders, including Dr. Sudha Seshadri, founding director of the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

Moreover, Lecanemab has already received medical success, as the FDA had designated the drug as “Breakthrough Therapy.”

Breakthrough Therapy designation is an FDA program intended to expedite the development and review of medicines for serious or life-threatening conditions. The benefits of a Breakthrough Therapy designation include more intensive guidance on an efficient development program as well as eligibility for rolling review and potentially priority review.

That is, research shows it can diminish amyloid plaque in hopes of reducing people’s risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.

“Participation in studies to investigate potentially effective therapies for pre-clinical and more advanced dementia patients may provide options for an altered disease course and strategies to alleviate caregiver burden,” according to Dr. Seshadri and the AHEAD Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

If You Are Latino, Why Should You Consider Volunteering for the AHEAD Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

Latinos are at risk because of medical conditions – high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease – that contribute to developing Alzheimer’s and are prevalent among older Latinos.

The burden will get worse, too. The number of Latinos living with Alzheimer’s is projected to grow from 430,000 in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2060. That is an alarming seven-fold increase.

Luckily, you can make a difference: volunteer for the AHEAD Clinical Trial.

“Participation in clinical trials and representation in larger cohort studies will assist researchers in developing specific diagnostic and treatment strategies specifically tailored to this population,” according to Dr. Seshadri and the AHEAD Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

 Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

Who Can Volunteer for the AHEAD Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

Qualifications to participate include, but are not limited to:

• Adults ages 55 to 80
• A study partner able to provide information about the participant’s daily function. Study partner must be in weekly contact with the participant via in-person, phone, or video.

Adults ages 55 to 64 must have 1 of the following risk factors:

• First degree relative diagnosed with dementia onset before age 75
• Has at least 1 apolipoprotein E4 variant (APOE4) allele
• Elevated brain amyloid according to previous PET or cerebrospinal fluid testing before screening
• Individuals with historical amyloid PET scans with intermediate brain amyloid (example, from preclinical Alzheimer’s disease studies such as A4 or EARLY) are eligible if they have not participated in studies with anti-amyloid therapies after the PET exam

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

What Will Volunteers Do as Part of the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

The AHEAD trial will last 216 weeks and in this time period there will be 22 clinic visits.

After they pass screening tests, they will enter the Study Treatment Period, which will last about 4 years.  Over the course of the 4 years, you will:

• Have 55 intravenous (into the vein, or IV) infusions of BAN2401 or placebo every 4 weeks for about 4 years
• Undergo brain scans (MRI and PET)
• Undergo lumbar punctures (optional); see above in REACH
• Complete questionnaires and undergo tests of your memory and daily functioning, including computerized testing
• Undergo blood draws

Moreover, the researchers of this study value participants’ time and effort according to Dr. Seshadri and the AHEAD Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

“For AHEAD study they’ll be reimbursed $50 per completed visit,” she said.

Seshadri goes on to note that these kinds of trials can go to make big impacts, especially for families.

“There is strong evidence to support a familial link to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia,” she said. “Lack of effective treatments continues to put a burden on families and the health care system.  Participation in studies to investigate potentially effective therapies  for pre-clinical and more advanced dementia patients may provide options for an altered disease course and strategies to alleviate caregiver burden.

“A more accurate diagnosis in the affected family member can lead to earlier and more precise diagnosis and better prevention in their siblings and children.”

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.

Call Now to Volunteer for the AHEAD Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio!

If you volunteer for the AHEAD Clinical Trial, you could help your current and future family.

“A more accurate diagnosis in the affected family member can lead to earlier and more precise diagnosis and better prevention in their siblings and children,” according to Dr. Sudha Seshadri and other AHEAD Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute.

English speakers can volunteer by calling Amy Saklad, Director of Research Operations for the Biggs Institute, at 210-567-8229.

Spanish speakers can volunteer by calling Dr. Monica Goss, Program Manager for the Biggs Institute, at 210-450-8073.

Saklad and Goss will distribute callers to the recruitment team for follow up and provision of general study information.

“We typically ask general screener questions (age, sex, diagnosis, other medical problems) to see which research opportunity best fits their needs,” said Dr. Seshadri of the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio. “We may need to review their medical records or ask some questions about how well they are functioning, whether there is any friend or family member who can accompany them (needed for some studies).”

Join the AHEAD Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)! Volunteers will be reimbursed up to $50 for each trial visit.