Health

New Drug Shows Promise in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

Published JUL 29 2025

Story

Above: An MIR scan of a brain showing early Alzheimer's disease. Image credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

The Facts

Early trial testing by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche suggests that a new drug could halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease, in data presented to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto, Canada, on Monday.
Roche
LBC
The Telegraph
According to Roche, the drug, called trontinemab, is a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid-beta in the brain, utilizing experimental Brainshuttle technology to deliver treatment more directly through the brain's blood barrier.
Roche
Reuters
Roche's phase-two trials demonstrated "rapid and robust reduction of amyloid plaques in the brain," a key indicator of Alzheimer's disease, with 49 out of the trial's 54 participants showing improvement after 28 weeks of treatment.
Roche
The Times (UK)
National Institute on Aging
The company added that this data was accompanied by "early and significant reductions" in Alzheimer's disease's fluid biomarkers, such as total Tau, phosphorylated Tau (pTau)181, pTau217, and neurogranin levels measured in CSF and plasma.
Roche
Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities were detected in less than 5% of patients, which Roche claimed were radiographically mild. One 78-year-old woman, however, died from a brain hemorrhage as part of a phase one trial.
Roche
The Times (UK)
BioSpace
Roche also announced that it plans to initiate phase three TRONTIER 1 and 2 trials to examine trontinemab's effects on pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease in 2025, and whether it can delay or prevent the disease's progression to symptomatic stages.
Roche

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The Spin

Narrative A

Roche's early testing indicates that trontinemab could revolutionise treatment for Alzheimer's, with trials demonstrating impressive rates of success and limited side effects. The drug's experimental features and treatment avenues allow it to deliver treatment directly to the brain, enabling more effective intervention in delaying and preventing Alzheimer's disease.

Roche

Narrative B

While the results published by Roche are encouraging, and new treatment options for Alzheimer's are urgently needed, further testing is necessary to confirm whether the early trial findings can be replicated on a larger scale. Future studies will need to assess not only the safety of the drug but also its effects on memory, cognitive function, and overall quality of life.

The Telegraph