AV-1959D Alzheimer's vaccine for early-stage Alzheimer's disease

Safety/Tolerability/Immunogenicity of first-in-human Aβ DNA vaccine, AV-1959D Phase 1 trials in early-stage AD subjects: based on IND18953 cleared by FDA.

NIH-funded research Institute for Molecular Medicine · NIH-11300264

A new DNA vaccine called AV-1959D aims to prompt the immune system to make antibodies against amyloid in people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionInstitute for Molecular Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Huntington Beach, United States)
Project IDNIH-11300264 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be invited to a Phase 1 first-in-human trial of a DNA vaccine that teaches the body to produce anti-amyloid antibodies. The visit schedule will include vaccine doses, blood draws, and brain imaging (MRI) to watch for side effects like ARIA. Doctors will measure your immune response and monitor thinking and memory using standard tests over months to years. The team is building on prior vaccine and antibody experience that showed plaque reduction but also highlighted safety and dosing challenges.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease (mild cognitive impairment due to AD or mild AD dementia) who meet the trial's eligibility rules and can attend regular study visits are the intended participants.

Not a fit: People with advanced Alzheimer's, no evidence of amyloid pathology, or medical conditions that make vaccination unsafe are unlikely to benefit from this trial.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the vaccine could reduce amyloid plaques and potentially slow or prevent disease progression with less-frequent dosing than current antibody infusions.

How similar studies have performed: Previous active vaccines such as AN-1792 showed plaque reduction in some patients without causing ARIA, and recent monoclonal antibodies cleared amyloid and produced modest clinical effects but carried notable ARIA risk.

Where this research is happening

Huntington Beach, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.