Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to memory loss and a decline in cognitive abilities so severe that they significantly interfere with daily life. Tens of millions of people are living with cognitive symptoms of AD, and hundreds of millions more may have tau and amyloid pathology – the hallmark proteins associated with the disease – starting to accumulate in their brains potentially decades before clinical signs emerge.
As symptoms progress, AD imposes a significant burden on patients, caregivers, health systems, and society. It is among the top 10 leading causes of death globally, with its economic toll projected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2030.
Alzheimer’s is among the top 10 leading causes of death globally, with its economic toll projected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2030.”
J&J’s approach to Alzheimer’s disease
For decades, we’ve been committed to researching and developing potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Guided by a legacy of innovation and scientific progress, we continue to deepen our understanding of the disease and advance tools that may enable earlier, more targeted intervention. Today, we’re applying this knowledge through a precision-based, multi-pronged approach to address the full complexity of Alzheimer’s disease.
Our research spans the full continuum of the disease — preventing cognitive decline in its earliest stages, developing therapies that slow disease progression, and addressing neuropsychiatric symptoms in more advanced stages. We’re also exploring tools to identify and diagnose the disease earlier and more definitively, recognizing that detecting disease pathology before symptoms appear is essential to changing the course of the disease.
