Flemish government invests in major Alzheimer’s research project
The Flemish government is investing 16.5 million euros in a large-scale study on Alzheimer’s disease, aimed at detecting the condition earlier and supporting future clinical research. The Flemish Cognitive Compass will involve 5,000 people aged 50 and over, Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele announced on Wednesday.
“Today, more than 130,000 people in Flanders live with dementia. The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease,” said Diependaele. He stressed that early detection is crucial: the biological processes underlying Alzheimer’s begin decades before the first symptoms appear, and early intervention could significantly improve outcomes.
Focus on blood tests and biomarkers
The project will focus on blood tests to measure the biomarker p-tau217, which can predict the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s up to ten years before symptoms emerge. “To be able to detect and treat the disease promptly in the future, it is important to detect the biological changes in the brain at the earliest possible stage,” explained Diependaele.
The Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), in collaboration with universities in Flanders, will conduct the study under the leadership of professor Bart De Strooper, a world authority on Alzheimer’s research and co-founder of the Dementia Research Institute in the UK. His team divides time between London and Leuven, where he also heads a laboratory.
Long-term research and clinical applications
“The engine we are now installing will enable new Flemish and international scientific studies, and in the long term, also attract additional lines of research and other conditions,” Diependaele added. “The Flemish Cognitive Compass fits into a broader plan to give medical innovation extra momentum.”
The project will also create a cohort for future clinical trials and includes a comprehensive social and ethical framework. While Alzheimer’s remains incurable, recent drugs can slow disease progression in early stages, and medications that alleviate symptoms are more effective if administered before symptoms appear.
Diependaele emphasised the wider impact of the project: “It’s a disease that has a major impact on many people in Flanders. This project combines a very significant social impact with an economic impact. This project should also support our pharmaceutical sector.”
The Flemish Cognitive Compass is designed as a long-term initiative that will extend beyond a single legislative term, aiming to advance Alzheimer’s research both locally and internationally.
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