Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38678292›Full record

SynthesisAlzheimer's research & therapy2024

Utilization of fluid-based biomarkers as endpoints in disease-modifying clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review.

Marlies Oosthoek, Lisa Vermunt, Arno de Wilde, Bram Bongers, Daniel Antwi-Berko, Philip Scheltens, Pieter van Bokhoven, Everard G B Vijverberg, Charlotte E Teunissen

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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  8. Ageing, Neurodegeneration and the Endocannabinoid System.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2026
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Brain and retina in Alzheimer's disease: Pathological intersections and estimates from imaging.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Review
  11. Editorial: Real-World Outcomes of Disease-Modifying Therapies Highlight the Need for Diagnostic Biomarkers in Early Alzheimer's Disease.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Analytical and clinical performance of eight SimoaAlzheimer's research & therapy · 2024
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: 2025.Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Marlies OosthoekDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.c.oosthoek@amsterdamumc.nl.
Lisa VermuntDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Arno de WildeEQT Life Sciences, Johannes Vermeersplein 9, 1071 DV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bram BongersDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Daniel Antwi-BerkoDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Philip ScheltensEQT Life Sciences, Johannes Vermeersplein 9, 1071 DV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Pieter van BokhovenIXA - Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Everard G B VijverbergAlzheimer Center, Department of Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Charlotte E TeunissenDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam · NLAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLAmsterdam Neuroscience · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundClinical trials in Alzheimer's disease (AD) had high failure rates for several reasons, including the lack of biological endpoints. Fluid-based biomarkers may present a solution to measure biologically relevant endpoints. It is currently unclear to what extent fluid-based biomarkers are applied to support drug development.

methodsWe systematically reviewed 272 trials (clinicaltrials.gov) with disease-modifying therapies starting between 01-01-2017 and 01-01-2024 and identified which CSF and/or blood-based biomarker endpoints were used per purpose and trial type.

resultsWe found that 44% (N = 121) of the trials employed fluid-based biomarker endpoints among which the CSF ATN biomarkers (Aβ (42/40), p/tTau) were used most frequently. In blood, inflammatory cytokines, NFL, and pTau were most frequently employed. Blood- and CSF-based biomarkers were used approximately equally. Target engagement biomarkers were used in 26% (N = 72) of the trials, mainly in drugs targeting inflammation and amyloid. Lack of target engagement markers is most prominent in synaptic plasticity/neuroprotection, neurotransmitter receptor, vasculature, epigenetic regulators, proteostasis and, gut-brain axis targeting drugs. Positive biomarker results did not always translate to cognitive effects, most commonly the small significant reductions in CSF tau isoforms that were seen following anti-Tau treatments. On the other hand, the positive anti-amyloid trials results on cognitive function were supported by clear effect in most fluid markers.

conclusionsAs the field moves towards primary prevention, we expect an increase in the use of fluid-based biomarkers to determine disease modification. Use of blood-based biomarkers will rapidly increase, but CSF markers remain important to determine brain-specific treatment effects. With improving techniques, new biomarkers can be found to diversify the possibilities in measuring treatment effects and target engagement. It remains important to interpret biomarker results in the context of the trial and be aware of the performance of the biomarker. Diversifying biomarkers could aid in the development of surrogacy biomarkers for different drug targets.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseBiomarkersAmyloid beta-PeptidesClinical Trials as TopicHumanstau ProteinsAmyloid beta-PeptidesBiomarkerstau ProteinsAlzheimerClinical trialFluid-based biomarker

Identifiers

PMID38678292
PMCPMC11055304
OpenAlexW4395692608

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.