A five-year European research project called ACCESS-AD is being launched to sustainably improve the diagnosis, treatment and long-term care of Alzheimer’s patients. The consortium includes 30 leading European research institutions, companies and patient advocacy groups. The LMU Klinikum München is one of the lead partners and is headed by Prof. Robert Perneczky from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. The total budget is 37 million euros.

The EU approval of the first causative Alzheimer’s drugs (lecanemab and donanemab) in 2025 marks a turning point. At the same time, health systems – including in Germany – are reaching their limits: long waiting times, limited resources and a high demand for specialised examinations make access difficult.

ACCESS-AD develops an integrated care concept throughout the entire course of the disease. The aim is to provide modern, personalized diagnostics and therapy that is timely, safe and accessible to all patients. The project addresses gaps in care and tests the efficacy and safety of the new therapies in clinical practice under real-world conditions on a large scale.

An example from Munich: In a pilot project, tablets were installed in about 20 pharmacies with which older people can answer a memory test and risk questions. A digital platform (in cooperation with Medotrax) evaluates the data, provides individual risk assessments and provides prevention services (e.g. tips for a brain-healthy lifestyle).

The LMU team led by Prof. Perneczky contributes expertise in biomarker diagnostics, AI-supported early detection, therapy optimization and prevention. It is also involved in the European project AD RIDDLE (over 31 million euros), which develops digital solutions, AI and biomarkers for risk assessment and prevention.

ACCESS-AD is also examining whether the new drugs can benefit broader patient groups in practice – such as people with pronounced vascular changes in the brain, which are currently excluded. The international real-world data registry INRAD (headed by Prof. Perneczky) is used to evaluate safety and efficacy.

The project is practice-oriented and is intended to bring concrete improvements for patients – from early diagnosis to personalized therapy and better long-term care. It combines cutting-edge scientific research with real care and European networking.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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