New Alzheimer's trial aims to cut treatment testing time by more than half

PM Andy Burnham, whose father died with the illness, backs Ad-Smart trial that will test multiple drugs simultaneously

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Read Time3 min

A new clinical trial called Ad-Smart could dramatically speed up the discovery of Alzheimer’s treatments by testing multiple drugs at the same time, allowing ineffective ones to be dropped quickly. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose father Roy died with the illness in September, said he was proud to support the trial in the hope it could deliver results more quickly than traditional methods.

The trial, led by the UK Dementia Research Institute and Alzheimer’s Research UK, with government backing, will start with two drugs already used for other conditions: the type 2 diabetes drug metformin and the ADHD medicine atomoxetine. Researchers said there is evidence that atomoxetine affects processes that cause further degeneration in Alzheimer’s, while metformin also shows promise on some pathways. New drugs designed for Alzheimer’s can be added over time.

Chief investigator Professor Paresh Malhotra said Alzheimer’s research has taken too long with one drug at a time, sometimes a decade or more before knowing if something works. “We are applying advances from cancer and other conditions to accelerate testing of treatments for people with Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. “The way Ad-Smart is set up means we’re testing several treatments at the same time, and those that don’t show promise can be quickly stopped. Then we can start testing something else.”

The first people have been recruited at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Up to 20 NHS sites are expected to open over the next 18 months, including in London, Edinburgh and Southampton, aiming to involve more than 1,000 people. The first drugs should have conclusions by 2030, with participants tested via scans and blood tests regularly.

Professor Siddharthan Chandran, director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said treatments have been tested in a “grossly inefficient way” and it has taken four or five years to find whether a drug works. “Because of the way Smart trials are designed, biotech and pharmaceutical companies can also bring their drugs straight into the trial. That means more treatments tested more quickly, and for people living with Alzheimer’s, that could make all the difference.”

Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “For people living with Alzheimer’s disease, time is precious. We urgently need more treatment options that can help people live better for longer and stay connected to the people they love… We hope this new approach to clinical trials could help bring a future closer where people affected by Alzheimer’s have more treatment options — and ultimately, a cure.”

Prime Minister Burnham said he knows how it feels to lose a loved one to dementia and has seen first-hand the devastating impact. “That’s why I’m proud to see this trial being launched in the UK, so that cutting-edge treatments can reach patients here as soon as possible. I have made dementia research a national priority. I want Britain to be the leading nation, making the breakthroughs that change people’s lives.”

The Government also said it had hit its target to speed up clinical trials, with delivery times cut by 35%. The average set-up time for commercial trials dropped to 100 days in the three months to March this year, down from 153 in the same period last year.

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, affecting around 600,000 people in the UK.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The Ad-Smart trial could more than halve the time needed to test Alzheimer's treatments, potentially bringing effective drugs to patients years sooner.
Alzheimer's affects about 600,000 people in the UK, and current treatment options remain limited, especially after the NHS rejected newer drugs lecanemab and donanemab.
Prime Minister Burnham's personal connection may drive sustained political focus and funding for dementia research.

Background

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, characterised by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Traditional clinical trials test one drug at a time, often taking a decade or more to reach conclusions. The Ad-Smart design borrows from oncology by using a multi-arm adaptive randomised trial, allowing simultaneous testing of multiple drugs and rapid dropping of ineffective candidates. Recent advances include drugs that slow progression, but they are expensive and not universally available on the NHS.

Key Perspectives

Patients and families: For those living with Alzheimer's, time is critical. A faster trial process could mean more treatment options sooner and potentially a cure. The trial tests repurposed drugs that are already known to be safe, reducing risk. Researchers: Scientists welcome the efficiency gain. The adaptive design lets them compare different mechanisms driving Alzheimer's, such as neurodegeneration pathways, and quickly switch to promising candidates. It also invites biotech and pharmaceutical companies to bring their drugs into the trial. NHS and Government: Faster trials could reduce the cost of drug development and make Britain a leader in dementia research. The government's achievement in cutting commercial trial set-up times to 100 days shows broader commitment to streamlining clinical research.

What to Watch

Results for the first two drugs (metformin and atomoxetine) are expected by 2030, but interim data may come earlier if drugs are dropped or show clear benefit.
Expansion to up to 20 NHS sites over 18 months, and how quickly additional drugs are added to the trial.
The potential for the Ad-Smart model to be adopted for other neurodegenerative diseases if successful.

Sources

New clinical trial backed by Andy Burnham could speed up Alzheimer’s treatments · The Independent UK

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe trial aims to cut treatment-testing time by more than half.The Independent UK: “Experts say the trial’s design could more than halve the time it takes to test Alzheimer’s treatments.”
Partly supportedTreatments that prove ineffective can be dropped quickly.The Independent UK: “those that don’t show promise can be quickly stopped.”
SupportedBurnham’s father Roy died with Alzheimer’s in September.The Independent UK: “Prime Minister Andy Burnham , whose father Roy died with the illness in September”
SupportedBurnham said he had made dementia research a national priority.The Independent UK: “I have made dementia research a national priority.”
SupportedMalhotra said the trial applies advances from cancer and other conditions to speed up treatment testing.The Independent UK: “We are applying advances from cancer and other conditions to accelerate testing of treatments for people with Alzheimer’s disease.”
SupportedMalhotra said Ad-Smart tests several treatments at once and can quickly stop those that do not show promise.The Independent UK: “The way Ad-Smart is set up means we’re testing several treatments at the same time, and those that don’t show promise can be quickly stopped.”
SupportedChandran described treatment testing as “grossly inefficient.”The Independent UK: “For too long, treatments have been tested in a “grossly inefficient way””
SupportedScales said time is precious for people living with Alzheimer’s and more treatment options are urgently needed.The Independent UK: “For people living with Alzheimer’s disease, time is precious. “We urgently need more treatment options that can help people live better for longer”
Partly supportedThere is evidence that atomoxetine affects processes causing further degeneration in Alzheimer’s.The Independent UK: “There is some evidence already that atomoxetine affects the processes that cause further degeneration in Alzheimer’s, researchers said”
SupportedUp to 20 NHS sites are expected to open over 18 months, with more than 1,000 people to be included.The Independent UK: “with up to 20 NHS sites expected to open over the next 18 months to include more than 1,000 people.”
SupportedThe first drugs should have conclusions by 2030.The Independent UK: “The first drugs should have conclusions by 2030”
SupportedThe Government said clinical-trial delivery times were cut by 35%.The Independent UK: “the Government said it had hit its target to speed up clinical trials, with delivery times cut by 35%.”