An initiative to transform dementia clinical trials in the UK by increasing the number of participants has welcomed the first people into streamlined screening tests.
The Dementia Trials Accelerator, a programme led by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), is aiming to address one of the biggest barriers to progress in dementia research: the chronic under-recruitment to clinical trials.
To do this they are involving previous participants from one of the UK's largest epidemiological cohort studies, REACT, which was set up by Imperial College London during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 12,000 REACT participants aged 65-75 have been invited to the Dementia Trials Accelerator's first clinics, run by its delivery partner Inuvi. They undertake cognitive tests and provide a blood sample, as well as having their height, weight, and blood pressure measured. Blood samples are then tested for biomarkers that have been linked to dementia risk. If suitable, their information is stored safely and securely on a platform where approved clinical trialists can find willing participants much more quickly and easily. More than 700 people have already taken part in the screenings in the first few weeks.
Thanks to [REACT participants'] ongoing generosity, we are in a position to enable the streamlining of recruitment for clinical trials to gain new knowledge about dementia. Professor Paul Elliott Director of the REACT programme, from Imperial's School of Public Health
Increasing the number of people involved in clinical trials, as well as the speed at which the right people are found, is vital to improving diagnosis and treatments for those affected by dementia. It can take up to three years to recruit enough participants to run a single 18-month dementia trial and more participants are urgently needed. By contrast, the average cancer trial takes 2.3 years from start to completion, including recruitment.
In 2024/25, just 173 patients in England were recruited to late-stage dementia drug trials supported by the NIHR Research Delivery Network. This is nine times fewer than for stroke and coronary heart disease trials and 25 times fewer than for cancer drug trials
By early 2027, the Dementia Trials Accelerator aims to have over 10,000 participants who want to take part in future research to combat this devastating disease. Currently, participation in the Dementia Trials Accelerator is by invitation only to eligible participants already involved in the REACT study.
Susie, 75, a participant in the Dementia Trials Accelerator, said:
"My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Watching her deteriorate with no prospect of a cure was heartbreaking for the whole family. Also, as a retired GP I witnessed first-hand the struggles that those diagnosed with dementia and their loved ones go through.
"I have three sisters and I am very aware that any one of us could follow the path of our mother. This is why I feel so strongly about taking part in research. It is a devastating disease, but we need to tackle it head on."
REACT (REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission) led by Imperial College London, built a geographically diverse and representative research cohort across England during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of this original group, 2.7 million participants agreed to be recontacted for future research opportunities, allowing researchers to follow up with individuals in key age ranges to gauge their interest in participating in dementia-related clinical trials and research studies.
Professor Paul Elliott, Director of the REACT programme, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said: "Over four million people participated in REACT, helping us to provide authoritative data in real time on how many people were infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus and the spread of immunity in the population. Now thanks to their ongoing generosity, we are in a position to enable the streamlining of recruitment for clinical trials to gain new knowledge about dementia. We hope one day this could translate into earlier detection and better treatments for these devastating conditions."
Professor Andrew Morris, Director of Health Data Research UK, said: "For too long, dementia trials have been held back by the difficulty of enrolling enough participants. The Dementia Trials Accelerator unites patients, universities, two national research institutes and the private sector in a powerful partnership. Together, we will speed up the complex process of identifying and recruiting the right people for dementia clinical trials across the UK – accelerating the search for new treatments, earlier diagnosis and better care."
Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Director, UK Dementia Research Institute, said: "Dementia research is at a tipping point, and advances in biomarker research are integral to this. We can now identify the biological signatures of disease more accurately than ever before, enabling earlier diagnosis and more personalised approaches to treatment. The Dementia Trials Accelerator harnesses this, embedding robust biomarker testing at its core to ensure the right participants can be matched to the right trials. Scaling up clinical trial participation will turbo charge dementia research and bring us closer to transforming the outlook for everyone affected by neurodegenerative conditions."
Funded by £20 million from the Medical Research Council, the Dementia Trials Accelerator is delivering on the government's life science and health ambitions, supporting the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme to develop innovative research tools and boost the number of clinical trials in dementia and neurodegeneration. This initiative will accelerate understanding of these conditions and transform the lives of people at risk of dementia.
Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said: "Dementia affects nearly one million people in the UK, and for too long our ability to find new treatments has been held back by the sheer difficulty of recruiting enough people to clinical trials.
"This Government is changing that. By bringing together world-class researchers and the power of health data, we are building a pipeline of people who are ready and willing to take part in the trials that will shape the treatments of the future and hopefully transform the lives of patients for generations to come."
The Dementia Trials Accelerator is currently by invitation only to existing participants of the REACT study. If others would like to take part in a clinical trial, they can register interest at Join Dementia Research.
