Project details

Summary

What is the study about? What are you trying to find out?

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that with time can cause dementia. The disease develops slowly and affects memory and other brain functions. As the disease gets worse, the person may need help with basic activities in their daily life.

This will be done by comparing semaglutide against placebo on the effect on cognition and daily functioning. Semaglutide is already used to treat people with type 2 diabetes. Animal and human studies indicate that semaglutide may have a positive effect on Alzheimer’s disease.

This will be investigated further in this study by:

• Comparing tests taken at the start of the study with those taken at end of the study
• Collecting information about your health, cognition, ability to perform daily activities and general wellbeing
• Different blood samples and measurements are taken during the study to monitor your health

What did taking part involve?

This study is no longer looking for new participants but is still ongoing.

The following are what would be involved for a volunteer taking part in this study:

• Taking one tablet every day
• Memory tests and questionnaires on how well you manage daily routines
• Blood samples • 1 brain MRI or CT scan to look at brain structure *
• 1 PET brain scan or a spinal tap to test for amyloid (a protein involved in Alzheimer’s disease) *

* You will have the opportunity to discuss the results of these scans with your study doctor before taking any medication.

You will either get semaglutide or placebo (a “dummy” medicine which does not contain any study medicine) - which treatment you get is decided by an equal chance, like flipping a coin. This is called randomisation. The study medicine for each person is chosen by a computer. The chance of you getting the new medicine or the placebo medicine is the same.

You or your study doctor will not know which of the study medicines (semaglutide or placebo) you will get. This is called ‘blinding’. However, if your safety is at risk, your study doctor will be told in order to decide your future treatment.

The study will last for up to 173 weeks (about 3 years and 4 months). You will have 17 clinic visits and 1 phone call with the study doctor. At 10 of the clinic visits you will have blood samples taken.

Who is it for?

This study is no longer looking for new participants but is still ongoing.

bout 1,840 men and women across the world will take part in this study. About 32 participants will take part in the UK.

Participants were asked to take part because they:

• (may) have early Alzheimer’s disease
• are at least 55 years old and not older than 85 years
• have a study partner (a next of kin or someone you have a close relationship to), who is willing to take part in the study and share information about them.

Why is it important? 

The information collected from you during the study may help you or other people with early Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

How can I find out more?

This study is no longer looking for new participants but is still ongoing.

However, if you have questions for the research team, click the button below to email us:

Email the research team