Creating a new treatment to boost brain health in Alzheimer's patients
Official title: Developing a NAMPT activator for Alzheimer’s disease
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10929451 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new medicine that could help boost brain health by increasing a substance called NAD+ that tends to drop as we get older, which might help improve thinking and memory for people with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $2,376,637 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AG079828-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10929451 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's disease or those experiencing mild cognitive impairment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia unrelated to aging may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a small molecule that activates an enzyme called NAMPT, which is crucial for maintaining healthy levels of NAD+ in the brain. As people age, NAD+ levels decline, contributing to cognitive decline associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). By enhancing NAMPT activity, the study aims to increase NAD+ levels in neurons, potentially reversing some aspects of brain aging and improving cognitive function. The research will progress through early drug development stages, ultimately aiming for clinical trials in patients with LOAD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a new treatment that slows or even reverses cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of enhancing NAD+ levels is promising, it is still in early development stages, and similar strategies have shown potential but require further validation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Beibei — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Chen, Beibei
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.