Alzheimer's Clinical Trials: What's Recruiting in 2026

Alzheimer's research is in its most active period ever. The FDA approvals of Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab) proved that clearing amyloid plaques can slow cognitive decline. Now the field is racing toward next-generation treatments that go beyond amyloid — targeting tau protein, neuroinflammation, and the metabolic pathways that drive neurodegeneration.

Important: This is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

The Post-Leqembi Landscape

The approval of anti-amyloid antibodies was a watershed moment, but these first-generation treatments offer modest benefit and carry risks like ARIA (amyloid-related imaging abnormalities). Current trial activity reflects a field searching for the next breakthrough:

• Next-gen amyloid therapies: Newer antibodies aim for better efficacy with fewer side effects. Some target specific forms of amyloid that may be more toxic.
• Tau-targeting drugs: Tau tangles correlate more closely with cognitive decline than amyloid plaques. Anti-tau antibodies and tau aggregation inhibitors are in Phase 2 and 3 trials.
• Neuroinflammation: Drugs targeting the brain's immune response (microglia, TREM2 pathway) represent a growing category of trials.
• GLP-1 receptor agonists: Originally developed for diabetes, drugs like semaglutide are now being tested for neuroprotective effects in Alzheimer's.
• Combination therapies: Like cancer, Alzheimer's may require attacking multiple pathways simultaneously. Several trials are testing drug combinations.

Biomarker-Based Trials Are Changing Enrollment

One of the biggest shifts in Alzheimer's research is the move toward biomarker-based enrollment. Instead of waiting for memory symptoms, trials now use amyloid PET scans or blood-based biomarkers to identify participants in preclinical stages — before significant brain damage has occurred. This means:

• People with a family history but no symptoms may be eligible for prevention trials
• Blood tests for phospho-tau and amyloid ratios are making screening faster and cheaper
• Trials are stratifying participants by APOE4 gene status, which affects both risk and treatment response

Recruiting Alzheimer's and Dementia Trials

Who Can Join an Alzheimer's Trial?

Eligibility varies significantly across trials. Some key factors:

• Stage of disease: Trials may focus on preclinical (no symptoms), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), early Alzheimer's, or moderate-to-severe stages
• Age: Most trials enroll participants aged 50-85, though some prevention studies start at younger ages for people with genetic risk
• Prior treatment: Some trials exclude people who have received anti-amyloid therapy; others specifically recruit them
• Study partner requirement: Many Alzheimer's trials require a care partner who can attend visits and report on daily function

For more on eligibility, see clinical trial eligibility explained.

Frequently Asked Questions