Great Lakes Clinical Trials in in Chicago and Arlington Heights, IL is now enrolling volunteer participants in a pioneering international Alzheimer’s disease prevention research program. The Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative (API) Generation Program is made up of two clinical trials—Generation Study 1 and Generation Study 2—and will test investigational study medications which aim to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively healthy people whose genetic makeup puts them at particularly high risk for developing the disease at older ages.
The number of people in Illinois who are age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to increase 18% by 2025 to a projected 260,000, highlighting the urgency of finding a medical breakthrough. Great Lakes Clinical Trials is one of approximately 190 sites globally participating in the API Generation Program.
Jeffrey Ross, Medical Director
“We are very excited to be a part of research that could significantly increase our understanding of Alzheimer’s and potentially benefit millions of people around the nation and the world who might be afflicted or at risk of this disease,” said Jeffrey Ross, principal investigator of the Generation Program at Great Lakes Clinical Trials. “Participating in research like the Generation Program is a great way to join the fight against this horrible disease.”
The API Generation Program is the first to incorporate both genetic testing and counseling. Prospective participants referred to the trial will be required to learn if they carry a specific gene that puts them at increased risk to developing Alzheimer’s. Genetic counseling will be provided in person or by phone.
Participants will be recruited via multiple venues, including the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry’s GeneMatch program (www.endALZnow.org/GeneMatch), a first-of-its kind program designed to identify a large group of people interested in volunteering for Alzheimer’s research studies, based in part on their genetic information.
To learn more about volunteering for the Generation Program at Great Lakes Clinical Trials, visit greatlakesclinicaltrials.com/generations, call (773) 275-3500, or go to www.GenerationProgram.com.
The Generation Program is sponsored by Novartis, a Swiss pharmaceutical company, and Amgen, a biotechnology company based in Thousand Oaks, CA, in collaboration with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, AZ.
Alzheimer’s is a debilitating and incurable disease that is estimated to affect more than 46 million people worldwide according to Alzheimer’s Disease International.
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About Great Lakes Clinical Trials
Great Lakes Clinical Trials specializes in the study of investigational medications, food products, devices and supplements for the treatment of chronic diseases, notably in Mental Health, Memory Disorders, Pain Management, Vaccines, Nutrition and Dermatology. All medical services at Great Lakes Clinical Trials are provided free-of-charge, and are led by board-certified physicians. We do not bill insurance. Your information will be kept confidential, unless you ask us to collaborate with your personal physician. We will provide you with a stipend for your participation - amounts vary based on each study. Free transportation is also provided for some of our trials. With two Chicago area locations in Andersonville and in Arlington Heights, the Great Lakes team have managed more than 450 clinical trials over the past 25 years and are committed to providing quality services for both study volunteers & the research industry.
About the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative
The Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative (API) is an international collaborative formed to launch a new era of Alzheimer’s prevention research. Led by the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, the API will conduct prevention trials in cognitively healthy people at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. It will continue to establish the brain imaging and biological and cognitive measurements needed to rapidly test promising prevention therapies, and to provide registries to support enrollment in future prevention trials. API is intended to provide the scientific means, accelerated approval pathway, and enrollment resources needed to evaluate the range of promising Alzheimer’s prevention therapies and find ones that work without losing another generation. For more information, go to www.banneralz.org.
About GeneMatch
GeneMatch is a research program of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry to help identify individuals who are willing to participate in research studies based in part on their APOE genetic information, the major genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The program is optional for people who are enrolled in the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. It will enroll people who are between 55 and 75 years of age, reside in the U.S., and do not have a diagnosis of dementia or other cognitive impairment syndrome. For more information, go to https://www.endalznow.org/genematch