Alzheimer’s Society UKDTN Research Nurse shortlisted for national nursing award
We’re proud to share that Samuel Agyapong, an Alzheimer’s Society UKDTN Research Nurse based at Oxford’s UKDTN Site, has been shortlisted as a finalist for Internationally Educated Nurse of the Year at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards 2026.
This national recognition celebrates the valuable contribution of internationally educated nurses and acknowledges those making an outstanding contribution to the nursing profession.
As an Alzheimer’s Society UKDTN Research Nurse at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Samuel plays an important role in supporting dementia research and helping people living with dementia and their families access opportunities to take part in clinical trials.
His dedication to research nursing, participants and the delivery of high-quality dementia research makes this recognition particularly special. Being named a finalist is a fantastic achievement and a testament to Samuel’s commitment and expertise.
Congratulations, Samuel! Everyone at UKDTN is incredibly proud of you and will be cheering you on at the awards, and hopefully celebrating a win!
UKDTN expands portfolio of dementia clinical trials with leading industry partners
10 trials in 1 year
The UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN) is continuing to expand its portfolio of clinical trials, strengthening opportunities for people across the UK to participate in dementia studies.
Since September 2025, UKDTN has supported/coordinated 10 clinical trials, working in partnership with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies including Novartis, Roche, Alnylam, Denali Therapeutics, CervoMed, Sanofi and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals.
Half of these studies were Phase 1 trials, reflecting UKDTN’s focus on making the UK the go-to phase for early-phase dementia trials. These studies play a critical role in building expertise, infrastructure and operational experience across sites, creating a stronger foundation for the efficient delivery of larger and later-phase trials in the future.
The growth of the portfolio in just 12 months demonstrates the increasing confidence of industry partners in the UK’s ability to deliver high-quality dementia clinical research and the value of a coordinated national network.
Strengthening the UK dementia research ecosystem
UKDTN was established with the aim of making the UK the ‘go-to’ place for early-phase dementia clinical trials, bringing together NHS sites, academic institutions, industry, charities and people with lived experience.
By supporting trial set-up and delivery, developing site capability and connecting industry partners with research expertise across the country, UKDTN is helping to build a stronger and more efficient environment for dementia clinical trials.
The continued growth of the portfolio also creates more opportunities for research sites and participants across the UK to engage with clinical research.
We thank all the participants, researchers, NHS teams, and UKDTN members whose commitment and contribution are essential to make this progress possible.
Applications open for ARUK Doctoral Clinical Fellowship and UKDTN Clinical Trial Placement Pilot
Clinicians interested in building a career in dementia clinical research are invited to apply for the Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) Doctoral Clinical Fellowship, with applications closing on 15 October 2026.
As part of the Fellowship, applicants can opt into the Clinical Trial Placement Pilot Programme, delivered in partnership with the UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN).
The pilot provides an opportunity for aspiring clinical academics to gain practical, hands-on experience across the dementia clinical trial pathway. Depending on the placement, fellows may gain exposure to:
Trial design and protocol development
Regulatory and ethics submissions
Participant recruitment and informed consent
Trial management and delivery
Data management and outcome measurement
Working within multidisciplinary clinical trial teams
With flexible placement models and up to £15,000 in funding available per placement, the programme is designed to help clinicians develop practical clinical trial skills and build the experience needed to become future leaders in dementia research.
Who is it for?
The opportunity is aimed at clinicians interested in combining clinical practice and research, and who want to develop their expertise in dementia clinical trials as part of their academic career.
If you, or a colleague, are considering a career in dementia research and clinical trials, this is an opportunity to gain valuable experience while developing the skills and networks needed to contribute to the future of dementia research.
Application deadline: 15 October 2026
Find out more and apply: Alzheimer’s Research UK Doctoral Clinical Fellowship
UKDTN was proud to participate in the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026, held in London. Bringing together more than 10,000 researchers, clinicians, industry leaders and healthcare professionals from across the globe, AAIC remains the world’s largest and most influential conference dedicated to advancing dementia research.
UKDTN International Advisory Board convenes for the first time
A major milestone during the conference was the inaugural meeting of the UKDTN International Advisory Board. Chaired by Professor Jeff Cummings and co-chaired by Professor Reisa Sperling, the Board brings together internationally recognised leaders in dementia research to provide strategic guidance, helping ensure that UKDTN remains aligned with global scientific priorities while supporting innovation in clinical trial delivery.
Celebrating the strength of the UK’s dementia research ecosystem
UKDTN was delighted to co-host Celebrating Promise and Progress: A UK Dementia Research Community Reception alongside Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK), Dementias Platform UK (DPUK), LifeArc, The BARBARA Alliance, the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Race Against Dementia.
The reception showcased the breadth and strength of the UK’s collaborative dementia research landscape, highlighting the shared commitment across charities, academia, the NHS, industry and government to accelerate the development of new treatments. Guests were welcomed by Lord Vallance, who emphasised the importance of partnership and collaboration in addressing one of society’s greatest healthcare challenges.
Leadership on the international stage
We also congratulate our Director, Professor Catherine Mummery, who served as Chair of the AAIC 2026 Scientific Program Committee. In this role, Professor Mummery led the development of an outstanding scientific programme that showcased the latest advances across the full spectrum of dementia research.
Promising advances in Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics
AAIC 2026 also featured encouraging developments in Alzheimer’s disease drug development. Among the most anticipated presentations were the topline results from Biogen’s Phase 2 CELIA study, delivered by Prof. Cath Mummery. The study evaluated diranersen (BIIB080), an investigational tau-targeting antisense oligonucleotide for early Alzheimer’s disease.
The results demonstrated robust reductions in tau biomarkers alongside encouraging evidence of slower cognitive decline across all dose groups, supporting Biogen’s decision to advance diranersen into Phase 3 clinical development. These findings represent another important step forward in the growing pipeline of disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
UKDTN Clinical Trial Fellows at AAIC 2026
Looking ahead
Events such as AAIC demonstrate that accelerating progress in dementia research depends on strong international collaboration between academia, healthcare systems, industry, charities, regulators and, most importantly, people living with dementia and their families.
We would like to thank everyone we had the opportunity to meet throughout the week. We look forward to building on these conversations and continuing to work with partners across the world to making UK the go-to destination for early-phase dementia clinical trials.
Promising Phase 2 findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026 have demonstrated that the investigational therapy diranersen slowed cognitive decline while significantly reducing tau pathology in people with early Alzheimer’s disease, marking an important advance in the search for disease-modifying treatments. The results were presented by Professor Cath Mummery, Director of the UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN)
Diranersen slows cognitive decline and reduces tau pathology in encouraging Phase 2 trial results presented at AAIC 2026.
The global CELIA trial enrolled 416 people with early Alzheimer’s disease and evaluated diranersen, an investigational antisense therapy designed to reduce the production of tau protein, one of the key pathological hallmarks of the disease. Across 18 months of treatment, the study demonstrated consistent clinical benefits across all doses tested, with the strongest effects observed in participants receiving the 60 mg dose.
Compared with placebo, participants receiving the 60 mg dose experienced:
42% slower cognitive decline on the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog);
50% slower decline on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); and
26% slower decline on the Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), a measure of cognition and daily functioning.
The study also demonstrated substantial biological effects, reducing cerebrospinal fluid total tau levels by 50–65%. Importantly, diranersen is the first tau-directed therapy in a Phase 2 trial to show reductions in both cerebrospinal fluid tau and brain tau pathology measured by PET imaging.
Professor Cath Mummery said:
“The CELIA data provide some of the clearest evidence that reducing tau pathology can translate into clinically meaningful benefit. The magnitude of tau reduction and cognitive benefit observed in CELIA is among the most compelling reported to date in Alzheimer’s disease drug development and supports advancing diranersen to Phase 3 development.”
The treatment was generally well tolerated, with most adverse events reported as mild or moderate. More than 90% of participants who completed the placebo-controlled phase elected to continue into the long-term extension study.
The results underscore the growing momentum in Alzheimer’s disease therapeutic development and the importance of a strong clinical trials infrastructure to evaluate innovative treatments efficiently. As more disease-modifying therapies progress through clinical development, the UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN) is working with partners across the UK to strengthen the nation’s capacity to deliver high-quality dementia clinical trials and accelerate access to research opportunities for people living with dementia.
The CELIA trial was sponsored by Biogen, with UK participation supported by the NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre. Biogen has announced plans to advance diranersen into Phase 3 clinical development, with additional analyses from the CELIA study and its ongoing long-term extension expected to be presented at future scientific meetings.
A recent study, led by UKDTN’s Director – Professor Catherine Mummery – evaluated ImmunoBrain’s IBC-Ab002, a monoclonal antibody designed to modulate immune responses associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and support the brain’s repair processes.
Results from the phase 1b trial, shared at ADPD 2026 in Copenhagen, involved 40 participants with early Alzheimer’s Disease across the UK, the Netherlands and Israel.
The ImmunoBrain study was among first trials led by UKDTN, enabling coordinated delivery across several UK sites and demonstrating the value of a national, harmonised trial infrastructure. The drug was found to be safe and well tolerated, with early biomarker signals showing promise to impact on the course of the disease.
The UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN) is pleased to announce its nomination for the Parliamentary Pathfinder – NHS Innovation Adoption Awards 2025-2026, which recognises organisations and partnerships successfully scaling innovation across the NHS and wider health and life sciences sector.
The awards focus on real-world adoption of innovation, highlighting initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in patient outcomes, workforce capacity, prevention, and system impact, beyond early-stage pilots.
This nomination reflects UKDTN’s ongoing work to strengthen and accelerate dementia clinical trials across the UK through collaboration with NHS sites, academic partners, industry, and the wider research community.
Shortlisted nominees have been featured in a Parliamentary State of the Nation report on healthcare innovation adoption and formally recognised at the Healthcare and Life Sciences Parliamentary Showcase. The full awards ceremony will take place in Westminster in November 2026.
This recognition highlights the importance of collaboration in turning innovation into real improvements for people affected by dementia and the health system as a whole.
Building Momentum in Dementia Research: UKDTN Engages with the Scientific Community at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Research Conference 2026.
UKDTN was proud to take part in this year’s Alzheimer’s Research UK Research Conference, held on 24–25 February 2026, Manchester – UK, where the Coordinating Centre team engaged with researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people with lived experience in dementia to share its mission of making the UK a go-to place for early-phase dementia clinical trials.
Throughout the two-day event, UKDTN hosted a dedicated stand that provided an opportunity to connect with a wide range of stakeholders and discuss how coordinated national infrastructure can accelerate the delivery of innovative studies. Conversations focused on strengthening collaboration across academia, the NHS, industry and patient communities to ensure faster access to cutting-edge trials and, ultimately, new treatments for people living with dementia.
A key highlight of the conference was the plenary session delivered by UKDTN Director, Cath Mummery, titled Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease: the next generation. The talk explored the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, presenting the latest developments in emerging interventions and demonstrating how advances in trial design and delivery are beginning to transform outcomes in dementia research. These outcomes reflect not only recent innovation in clinical research, but also decades of preclinical and basic science research that have laid the foundations for today’s therapeutic progress.
Professor Mummery emphasised the growing momentum within the field and the importance of coordinated national initiatives such as UKDTN in supporting more efficient, inclusive and scalable clinical trials across the UK.
“I have been a clinical trialist for 20 years and there is a feeling of positivity and excitement. We have turned that corner and we are finding treatments.”
Her message resonated strongly with conference attendees, reflecting a renewed sense of optimism across the research community. As scientific progress accelerates, initiatives like UKDTN play a critical role in ensuring the UK is ready to deliver the next generation of studies, helping bring effective therapies to patients faster.
UKDTN would also like to thank and congratulate the Alzheimer’s Research UK team for delivering a highly successful and engaging conference, which once again provided an invaluable platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and celebrating progress across the dementia research community.
The conference reinforced the shared commitment across the sector to work collaboratively toward better diagnosis, improved trial access, and the development of more effective treatments for dementia. UKDTN looks forward to continuing these conversations and building partnerships that will help shape the future of dementia clinical research in the UK.
UKDTN launched its first Phase 1b Alzheimer’s trial, dosing the first patient in Europe and streamlining setup across sites, with further trials and collaborations in progress.
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