Clinical Research

About Our Clinical Research

Our goal is to seamlessly and expeditiously progress from preclinical drug discovery into early clinical trials, thereby increasing the pipeline of treatments and providing patients with novel therapies faster and more efficiently. As one example, translational research studies have uncovered ways to remove amyloid from the human brain. We are now testing these anti-amyloid therapeutic strategies to confirm their disease modifying effects. We plan to expand and streamline our capability to conduct phase I trials of innovative drugs that arise from our translational research findings.

CoE on Brain Aging Clinial Researcher with Participant

NYU investigators have contributed directly to the clinical development of all currently approved treatments for AD, particularly memantine, the first in a novel class of Alzheimer's disease medications that block overactive brain receptors. Landmark longitudinal research on the course of AD yielded the first characterizations of the symptomatology and entire course of AD leading to recognition of MCI as an early stage of AD and a target for early treatment, which will be a major focus of COE research.

Furthermore, pioneering research on psychosocial interventions has provided an evidence base for the value of counseling and support for caregivers to reduce the impact of AD on both family members and patients. Trials are underway to address the cognitive deficits of dementia but also behavioral ones that often create management issues.

As one in a consortium of designated Alzheimer’s disease Centers (ADCs) of the National Institutes of Health and of the National Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, our COE provides clinical resources to its investigators to speed development of more effective treatment and psychosocial management strategies for AD and PD.