Measuring ARIA brain changes during Alzheimer’s antibody treatment
Official title: Quantification of ARIA During the Treatment of Alzheimer's Patients
Funded at Cortechs Labs, INC. · NIH-11345590 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The project will build software that finds and measures ARIA — imaging changes like swelling or small bleeds — in people with Alzheimer’s who are getting amyloid‑clearing antibody therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cortechs Labs, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $932,694 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG079694-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345590 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with Alzheimer’s disease who are receiving or planning to receive amyloid‑lowering antibody treatments and who have MRI monitoring as part of their care or a clinical trial.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not receiving amyloid‑clearing therapies or those without MRI scans are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you have Alzheimer’s and are getting an amyloid‑clearing antibody such as aducanumab, this project will use MRI scans to find and quantify imaging abnormalities called ARIA (swelling or small bleeds) that can happen during treatment. The team will develop and validate computer software to detect and measure these ARIA lesions instead of relying only on visual reads by radiologists. They plan to test the software on MRIs taken before and during treatment and refine it so clinicians can use it in routine care. The goal is to make reporting of ARIA faster and more consistent to guide treatment decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could detect ARIA earlier and more reliably, helping doctors make safer treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Some automated MRI lesion tools exist and show promise, but automated, validated ARIA detection specifically for amyloid antibody therapy is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Cortechs Labs, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ulug, Aziz M — Cortechs Labs, INC.
- Study coordinator: Ulug, Aziz M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using advanced imaging and AI to improve prostate cancer biopsy decisions
This study is working on new tools that use advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to help doctors better diagnose prostate cancer, making it easier to decide who needs a biopsy and where to focus on in the prostate.
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Measuring brain changes in Alzheimer's patients during treatment
This study is looking at how a new Alzheimer's treatment called aducanumab affects the brain, using special MRI scans to help doctors spot any changes more easily, so they can better monitor patients and improve their care.
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.