Background: Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) are urgently needed for neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) such\nas Alzheimer�s disease (AD) and many other disorders characterized by protein aggregation and neurodegeneration.\nDespite advances in understanding the neurobiology of NDD, there are no approved DMTs.\nDiscussion: Defining disease-modification is critical to drug-development programs. A DMT is an intervention that\nproduces an enduring change in the trajectory of clinical decline of an NDD by impacting the disease processes\nleading to nerve cell death. A DMT is neuroprotective, and neuroprotection will result in disease modification.\nDisease modification can be demonstrated in clinical trials by a drug-placebo difference in clinical outcomes\nsupported by a drug-placebo difference on biomarkers reflective of the fundamental pathophysiology of the NDD.\nAlternatively, disease modification can be supported by findings on a staggered start or delayed withdrawal clinical\ntrial design. Collecting multiple biomarkers is necessary to support a comprehensive view of disease modification.\nConclusion: Disease modification is established by demonstrating an enduring change in the clinical trajectory of\nan NDD based on intervention in the fundamental pathophysiology of the disease leading to nerve cell death.\nSupporting data are collected in clinical trials. Effectively defining a DMT will assist in NDD drug development programs.
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