Researchers at the University of Antioquia in Colombia have launched a new clinical trial aimed at preventing Alzheimer’s disease, building on more than eight years of prior research. The study, known as API Colombia 2, will evaluate the effectiveness of two medications — donanemab and RG6289 — in reducing the accumulation of amyloid protein in the brain, a key factor linked to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s.
The trial, led by the university’s Antioquia Neuroscience Group (GNA), will involve 240 participants from families in the Antioquia region who have a hereditary form of Alzheimer’s caused by the so-called “paisa mutation.” This genetic variant has made the region a global focus for Alzheimer’s prevention research.
According to David Fernando Aguillón Niño, coordinator of the GNA, the new study incorporates lessons learned from the first phase of the API Colombia project, which, while not yielding the expected therapeutic results with the drug crenezumab, provided invaluable scientific and methodological insights.
“API Colombia 1 lasted eight years and served as a major learning experience for our team,” Aguillón Niño said. “While crenezumab did not indicate biological efficacy, the knowledge gained from working with affected families has been essential in shaping this more robust prevention strategy.”
The three-year trial represents a renewed effort to uncover a way to delay or prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms before memory loss and cognitive decline begin. By targeting amyloid buildup early, researchers hope to interrupt the disease process at its earliest stages.
The initiative underscores Colombia’s growing role in international neurodegenerative disease research, particularly in the area of genetic Alzheimer’s prevention. Scientists involved say the study offers new hope for families affected by the hereditary form of the disease and could inform future approaches to Alzheimer’s treatment worldwide.
