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Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid beta in Alzheimer disease current evidence clinical outcomes limitations and future directions
Sampat Singh Bhati, Sampat Singh Tanwar. Discover Neuroscience, 2026-06-30
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plain-language summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, initiating a pathological cascade from soluble monomers to toxic oligomers, protofibrils, fibrils, and ultimately extracellular amyloid plaques that contribute to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration. Aβ is generated through sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein by β- and γ-secretases, releasing peptides into the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have been developed to target distinct Aβ species along this aggregation pathway. Agents such as solanezumab and bapineuzumab primarily bind monomeric Aβ, while aducanumab, gantenerumab, crenezumab, and SAR228810 target aggregated forms, and lecanemab preferentially recognizes protofibrils. Donanemab selectively targets deposited amyloid plaques. Recent regulatory approvals of aducanumab, lecanemab, and donanemab demonstrate significant plaque reduction and modest slowing of cognitive decline in early AD, supporting the amyloid hypothesis. However, multiple clinical failures highlight limitations including late-stage intervention, inadequate targeting of neurotoxic oligomers, and safety concerns such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. Future therapeutic strategies emphasize early intervention, improved targeting of soluble toxic species, enhanced brain penetration, and biomarker-guided patient selection. Collectively, monoclonal antibodies validate Aβ as a therapeutic target while underscoring the need to optimize timing, specificity, and clinical impact in AD treatment.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
Regulatory approvals of aducanumab, lecanemab and donanemab show significant plaque reduction and modest slowing of cognitive decline in early Alzheimer disease, supporting the amyloid hypothesis. Multiple clinical failures highlight limitations including late-stage intervention, inadequate targeting of neurotoxic oligomers, and safety concerns such as ARIA.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bhati, S. S., & Tanwar, S. S. (2026). Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid beta in Alzheimer disease current evidence clinical outcomes limitations and future directions. Discover Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13064-026-00295-0
Vancouver
Bhati SS, Tanwar SS. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid beta in Alzheimer disease current evidence clinical outcomes limitations and future directions. Discover Neuroscience. 2026. doi:10.1186/s13064-026-00295-0.
BibTeX
@article{bhati2026-0a449f11,
author = {Bhati, Sampat Singh and Tanwar, Sampat Singh},
title = {{Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid beta in Alzheimer disease current evidence clinical outcomes limitations and future directions}},
journal = {Discover Neuroscience},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1186/s13064-026-00295-0},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13064-026-00295-0}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Recent regulatory approvals of aducanumab, lecanemab, and donanemab demonstrate significant plaque reduction and modest slowing of cognitive decline in early AD, supporting the amyloid hypothesis.
Why it matters
Regulatory approvals of aducanumab, lecanemab and donanemab show significant plaque reduction and modest slowing of cognitive decline in early Alzheimer disease, supporting the amyloid hypothesis. Multiple clinical failures highlight limitations including late-stage intervention, inadequate targeting of neurotoxic oligomers, and safety concerns such as ARIA.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Discover Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Discover Neuroscience: journal h-index 6 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Sampat Singh Tanwar: h-index 6 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Shri Vaishnav Vidyapeeth Vishwavidyalaya, Indore: institution h-index 49 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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