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FTD Research Roundtable

(formerly the FTD Treatment Study Group)

AFTD is dedicated to improving the lives of families coping with FTD and to advancing research into effective treatments and a cure. The FTD Research Roundtable provides a precompetitive space for biopharmaceutical companies to partner and advance drug development for FTD, with input from regulators and scientific leaders, all of whom share a common interest in eliminating barriers to success in FTD clinical trials.

The FTD Research Roundtable program evolved from the FTD Treatment Study Group (FTSG). Since FTSG began, there has been immense growth in companies focusing on FTD drug development. However, all companies face similar challenges in FTD drug development. AFTD and scientific leaders are seeking to provide a space in which industry can have precompetitive discussions on FTD clinical trial barriers, seeking solutions, proposing best practices and ultimately enable FTD drug development. As a result, the FTD Research Roundtable was developed.

Each program is selected and designed based upon the priorities of the Steering Committee, with insight from regulators, scientific leaders, and advocates.

2024: Biomarkers for FTD Clinical Trials

Date: August 27-29

Agenda: Available here

Leadership Committee

  • Howard Feldman, UCSD, Co-Chair
  • Serena Hung, Atalanta Therapeutics, Co-Chair
  • Jon Rohrer, UCL, Chair-Elect
  • Arthur Simen, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Chair-Elect
  • Laura Mitic, The Bluefield Project
  • Penny Dacks, AFTD
  • Michelle Campbell, FDA Division of Neuroscience
  • Steffen Thirstrup, EMA
  • Joseph Marquez, FTD Family Advocate

Steering Committee Members

  • Acelot
  • Alector
  • Alexion
  • AviadoBio
  • Bluefield Project to Cure FTD
  • Denali Therapeutics
  • Genetech
  • GSK
  • Orchard Therapeutics
  • Otsuka
  • Passage Bio
  • Prevail Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly
  • QurAlis
  • Rainwater Charitable Foundation
  • Takeda Pharmaceuticals
  • UCB
  • Vesper Bio

2023: Improving Efficiency and Power in FTD Clinical Trials

Date: September 5-7, 2023

Agenda: Available here

Leadership Committee

  • Adam Boxer, Co-Chair
  • Michael Gold, Co-Chair
  • Howard Feldman, Chair-Elect
  • Serena Hung, Chair-Elect
  • Rodney Pearlman
  • Penny Dacks
  • Michelle Campbell

*The Leadership Committee, Mads Kjølby (Vesper Bio), Richard Tsai (Denali Therapeutics) and Tiffini Voss (Passage Bio) guided the meeting agenda development.

Steering Committee Members

  • AbbVie
  • Alector
  • Arkuda Therapeutics
  • AviadoBio
  • Denali Therapeutics
  • Genetech
  • GSK
  • Passage Bio
  • Pfizer
  • Prevail Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly
  • QurAlis
  • ShapeTX
  • Takeda Pharmaceuticals
  • Transposon Therapeutics
  • UCB
  • Vesper Bio

Research stakeholders who would like to access a recording of the 2023 presentations or to learn more about the program should contact research@theaftd.org to request access.

Highlights of Previous Meetings

2021, Silver Spring, MD – Innovations and Progress in Clinical Trial Design for FTD

2018, Washington DC – Clinical Trials Methodology and Outcome Measures for FTD

2016, Bethesda, MD – Building an Infrastructure to Support FTLD Therapeutic Development

  • Brought together 95 participants representing 20 academic institutions, 23 pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government, and nonprofit organizations
  • Included panel discussions with industry representatives on FTD therapeutic development programs/trial design and with FDA/EMA representatives on regulatory issues
  • See event coverage in ALZFORUM.

2012, Washington, DC – Clinical Development in FTD

2011, San Diego, CA – Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Symposium

  • Focused on clinical aspects of FTD drug development
  • Topics discussed included epidemiology; clinical criteria; cognitive, functional and imaging outcome measures; and biomarkers
  • Participants concluded that FTD trials were feasible and had the potential to benefit a broader group of neurodegenerative diseases

2011, Las Vegas, NV – FTSG: The Next Therapeutic Frontier

  • Focused on pre-clinical aspects of FTD drug development
  • Topics discussed included animal models, tissue models, successful translational initiatives in other disease areas, federal resources, and the potential for developing animal and compound registries

The proceedings from the 2011 meetings were first published by Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association in 2013: