A new, large-scale European research initiative is set to launch in January 2026, aiming to accelerate Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment across the continent. The five-year ACCESS‑AD project, funded by the European Innovative Health Initiative, will unite over 30 organizations-from academic centers like the Amsterdam University medical Center and King’s College London to industry leader Siemens Healthineers-in a collaborative effort to address growing diagnostic delays and improve access to emerging therapies. With Alzheimer’s cases in the EU projected to double by 2050, the program seeks to leverage artificial intelligence and standardized processes to make advanced care more widely available.
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- The ACCESS‑AD1 project is a five-year initiative funded by the European public-private partnership Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)
- The consortium brings together more than 30 organizations from research, healthcare, and industry
- The goal is to improve access to personalized care and real-world evidence for new therapies in the EU
- Siemens Healthineers is the leading industry partner and is developing solutions along the entire Alzheimer’s care pathway
A major new European research initiative, led by Siemens Healthineers, aims to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease. The ACCESS‑AD1 project seeks to establish a collaborative, patient-centered approach to Alzheimer’s care across Europe. Launching in January 2026, the program unites over 30 European partners – including healthcare providers, universities, patient organizations, and industry leaders – to leverage expertise in neurology, imaging, data science, and patient advocacy.
The five-year project is co-funded by the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), a public-private partnership between the European Union and the life sciences industry. The Amsterdam University Medical Center will provide clinical leadership, with King’s College London and Gates Ventures serving as co-leads. Siemens Healthineers, as a key player in the Alzheimer’s ecosystem, is driving the development and validation of solutions spanning the entire care pathway – from blood tests for early detection to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) for diagnostics and monitoring treatment progress.
Alzheimer’s disease remains a significant medical and societal challenge, currently affecting over 7 million people in the European Union alone – a number projected to double by 2050.2 The impact extends far beyond those directly diagnosed, affecting families, caregivers, and healthcare systems. While treatment historically focused on managing symptoms, the approval of new disease-modifying therapies in the European Union since 2025 offers a new sense of hope. However, many national healthcare systems are facing diagnostic bottlenecks and limited capacity, already struggling to meet the demand for testing, imaging, and specialized follow-up care. Without innovative approaches, wait times for these crucial services could stretch to years in some countries.
ACCESS-AD is designed to address these challenges, supporting patients from diagnosis and treatment decisions through care and ongoing monitoring, while also incorporating insights from other Alzheimer’s-related IHI initiatives. The initiative aims to enhance care through standardized processes and the implementation of cutting-edge industrial solutions and artificial intelligence (AI). This includes analyzing imaging data, blood tests, and digital health data to predict treatment response and identify patients at higher risk of complications. Furthermore, real-world evidence will be collected from over 500 patients across Europe, and a pilot study will explore combinations of medication and lifestyle changes.
Siemens Healthineers’ portfolio covers the complete Alzheimer’s care pathway, from laboratory diagnostics to advanced imaging and digital tools. “Currently, Alzheimer’s patient care is often fragmented and delayed. ACCESS‑AD brings together leading organizations from across Europe to make advanced diagnostics and therapies accessible to all,” said Amira Romani, Head of Innovation & Technology Strategy at Siemens Healthineers. “It’s a powerful example of what’s possible when industry, academia, and clinical partners collaborate to create impact – for the benefit of every single patient.”
As part of ACCESS AD, Siemens Healthineers plans to enable patients to collect blood samples at home in the future. Key Alzheimer’s biomarkers can then be analyzed on the company’s laboratory platforms. “The at-home blood collection program not only supports patients and caregivers, but also eases the burden on the healthcare system by reducing bottlenecks in specialized centers and enabling earlier intervention through more frequent and accessible testing. This is an important step towards making precise diagnostics scalable and equitable across Europe,” explained Gaby Marquardt, Head of Clinical & Technology Innovation in Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers.
Siemens Healthineers will also work to lower the technical, organizational, and financial barriers that currently limit access to high-quality brain imaging in Europe. This includes the development and clinical implementation of advanced MRI and PET/CT solutions beyond specialized centers. In the field of MRI, this could involve compact, helium-free DryCool magnet technology3, AI-assisted workflows and image reconstruction, and accelerated head protocols for significantly shorter examination times. “The ACCESS‑AD initiative underscores our increasing focus on disease management, as well as our commitment to better health outcomes,” said Andreas Schneck, Head of Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Siemens Healthineers. “By making state-of-the-art neuroimaging more widely available, we aim to specifically improve imaging processes for the diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease, empowering healthcare facilities to deliver more precise, patient-centered care.”
Learn more about ACCESS-AD here. Additional information about Alzheimer’s disease can be found here.
