Clinical trial Recruiting at 79 sites Phase 2 Interventional Ages 50 to 85

MK-2214 for people with early Alzheimer's disease

Official title: A Phase 2 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK-2214 in Participants With Early Alzheimer's Disease

Run by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · NCT07033494 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This trial will test whether the drug MK-2214 can slow the spread of tau protein in the brains of people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia from Alzheimer's disease.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages50 Years to 85 Years
SexAll
Enrollment340 (estimated)
SponsorMerck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Industry-sponsored
Locations80 sites (Irvine, California and 79 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJuly 16, 2025
Main results expectedApril 30, 2029
Study endsApril 30, 2030
Registry record updatedOctober 20, 2026
Trial IDNCT07033494 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

People with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease who have a designated study partner and stable dosing on any approved symptomatic AD therapy are ideal candidates.

Probably not a fit

People with a history of stroke or other major cerebrovascular or central nervous system disease, recent seizures, structural brain disease, or unstable major medical illness are unlikely to qualify or benefit.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This Phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial gives participants either MK-2214 or a matching placebo and follows them over time to measure changes in brain tau and clinical safety. The primary goal is to see if MK-2214 slows tau accumulation in the brain compared with placebo while monitoring side effects and tolerability. Eligible participants include people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's who have a study partner, and those on approved symptomatic AD therapies must be on a stable dose. Outcome measures will focus on brain measures of tau and standard safety labs, exams, and tolerability assessments.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, MK-2214 could slow Alzheimer's-related tau buildup and potentially delay worsening of thinking and day-to-day function.

How similar studies have gone: Tau-targeting treatments are an active area of research but so far have produced mixed, mostly early-stage results, so this approach is promising but not yet proven.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

* Has mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
* Has a designated study partner who can fulfill the requirements of this study
* If on an approved AD therapy for symptomatic AD, the dosing regimen must have been stable for 3 months prior to screening

Exclusion Criteria:

The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:

* Has a known history of stroke or cerebrovascular disease
* Has diagnosis of a clinically relevant central nervous system disease other than AD or other condition that negatively impacts cognition or cognitive status chronically
* Has structural brain disease
* Has a history of seizures or epilepsy within 5 years before screening
* Has any other major central nervous system trauma, or infections that affect brain function
* Has major medical illness or unstable medical condition within 3 months before screening
* Has a severe, acute, or chronic medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory abnormality
* Has any immunological disease, which is not adequately controlled, or which requires treatment with biologics and/or immunosuppressants during the study
* Has a bleeding disorder that is not under adequate control
* Has a history of malignancy occurring within 5 years of screening
* Has a risk factor for corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation
* Has liver disease
* Is unwilling or unable to undergo computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
* Resides in a nursing home or assisted care facility with need for direct continuous medical care and nursing supervision

Where it's running

  • Irvine Clinical Research ( Site 1041)
    Irvine, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Healthy Brain Clinic ( Site 1005)
    Long Beach, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Inglewood Clinical ( Site 1062)
    Los Angeles, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Anderson Clinical Research ( Site 1024)
    Redlands, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • UCSF Memory and Aging Center ( Site 1031)
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Syrentis Clinical Research ( Site 1001)
    Santa Ana, California, United States
    Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
  • Yale University, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit ( Site 1059)
    New Haven, Connecticut, United States
    Recruiting
  • JEM Research Institute ( Site 1046)
    Atlantis, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida ( Site 1003)
    Fort Myers, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • K2 Medical Research ( Site 1047)
    Maitland, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • ClinCloud LLC ( Site 1039)
    Melbourne, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Indago Research and Health Center Inc ( Site 1044)
    Miami Lakes, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Aqualane Clinical Research ( Site 1035)
    Naples, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Suncoast Clinical Research ( Site 1007)
    New Port Richey, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Renstar Medical Research ( Site 1012)
    Ocala, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Charter Research - Orlando ( Site 1051)
    Orlando, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Axiom Brain Health ( Site 1029)
    Tampa, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • K2 Medical Research ( Site 1020)
    Tampa, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Charter Research - Lady Lake ( Site 1019)
    The Villages, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Conquest Research LLC ( Site 1053)
    Winter Park, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • CenExel iResearch, LLC ( Site 1015)
    Decatur, Georgia, United States
    Recruiting
  • Alexian Brothers Medical Center-Neurosciences ( Site 1017)
    Elk Grove Village, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
  • Boston Center for Memory ( Site 1008)
    Newton, Massachusetts, United States
    Recruiting
  • CenExel- AMRI ( Site 1018)
    Marlton, New Jersey, United States
    Recruiting
  • The Cognitive and Research Center of New Jersey - Ridgewood ( Site 1064)
    Ridgewood, New Jersey, United States
    Recruiting
  • The Cognitive and Research Center of NJ ( Site 1057)
    Springfield, New Jersey, United States
    Recruiting
  • Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC) ( Site 1000)
    Albany, New York, United States
    Recruiting
  • Mid Hudson Medical Research ( Site 1050)
    New Windsor, New York, United States
    Recruiting
  • Basil Clinical ( Site 1065)
    Queens, New York, United States
    Recruiting
  • AMC Research, LLC ( Site 1006)
    Matthews, North Carolina, United States
    Recruiting
  • Insight Clinical Trials ( Site 1011)
    Independence, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting
  • Neuro-Behavioral Clinical Research ( Site 1028)
    North Canton, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting
  • Flourish Research ( Site 1048)
    Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States
    Recruiting
  • Gadolin Research ( Site 1032)
    Beaumont, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • Horizon Clinical Research Center - Houston ( Site 1026)
    Cypress, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • Organizacion Medica de Investigacion ( Site 0401)
    Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires F.D., Argentina
    Recruiting
  • Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones clínicas "Dr. Norberto Quirno" (CEMIC) ( Site 0404)
    Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires F.D., Argentina
    Recruiting
  • Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia (FLENI) ( Site 0400)
    Caba, Argentina
    Recruiting
  • Southern Neurology ( Site 0306)
    Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia
    Recruiting
  • KARA Institute for Neurological Diseases ( Site 0302)
    Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Austin Health ( Site 0300)
    Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia
    Recruiting
  • HammondCare ( Site 0301)
    Malvern, Victoria, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc ( Site 3001)
    Brussels, Bruxelles-Capitale, Region de, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • UZ Leuven ( Site 3000)
    Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • AZ Groeninge Campus Kennedylaan ( Site 3002)
    Kortrijk, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Ottawa Memory Clinic ( Site 2001)
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Recruiting
  • Sunnybrook Research Institute ( Site 2003)
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Recruiting
  • Toronto Western Hospital ( Site 2004)
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Recruiting
  • Clinique Mémoire de Montreal ( Site 2000)
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada
    Recruiting
  • National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology ( Site 9002)
    Ōbu, Aichi-ken, Japan
    Recruiting

+30 more sites. See ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.