Challenge: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting elderly people. There is currently no early diagnostic method available and there is no effective treatment. Better characterization of new animal models is therefore essential to enable the discovery of new therapeutics for AD.

Solution: To maximize the information obtained from MRI and PET imaging studies of animal models for AD, it is vital to link such macroscopic imaging measures with the underlying microscopic pathological processes. With its innovative suite of image processing analysis tools, Biospective was well positioned to do so. In this project, new animal models for Alzheimer’s disease have been developed by Merck and Pfizer (two knock-in mice in which the murine genes are replaced by the human TAU or the human APP mutant amyloid precursor protein). Using its unique image analysis platforms, NIGHTWING™ and PERMITS™, Biospective has completed an in-depth characterization of these animal models. Novel neuroimaging and quantitative neuropathology endpoints were included to study disease progression with the ability to evaluate responses to treatment.

Achievements/Impact: Biospective’s team was able to expend their software technology to support analysis of mouse models of AD. They were able to show a correlation between gold standard histology techniques with longitudinal MRI analysis of therapeutic intervention in early AD mouse models. This new MRI capacity is opening new doors in the field of AD drug discovery.