Justin Smith: Alzheimer’s Disease, Hope Ahead?

The podcast explores the complexities of Alzheimer's disease, its diagnosis, global burden, and the challenges in drug development. Justin Smith, a senior European biopharmaceuticals analyst, provides insights into the disease's progression, symptoms, and the mix of hereditary and lifestyle factors contributing to its onset. He highlights the trillion-dollar cost of care in the U.S. and the expectation of patient numbers doubling by 2050. Smith discusses current treatment options, including the promising brain shuttle technology by Roche, which aims to improve drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. He also addresses the side effects of existing treatments and the importance of primary care awareness for early diagnosis and intervention.