The year 2025 was full of breakthroughs, debates, and big questions in Alzheimer’s research. One event that shaped many of these conversations? The Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference. It may not have been on everyone’s radar, but its impact was undeniable.

In this special episode, Penn Memory Center Co-Directors Dr. Jason Karlawish and Dr. David Wolk share what stood out at CTAD, what’s changing in the field, and what to watch next.

Inside this episode:

• Anti-amyloid therapies update: Where things stand with lecanemab and donanemab, and what the next generation of these drugs could look like

• GLP-1 disappointment: Why Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide trials for Alzheimer’s disease came up short

• Lifestyle interventions: The latest findings from the POINTER Study and what they mean for brain health

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below

• Visit CTAD’s website

• More information on anti-amyloid therapies

• Novo Nordisk’s announcement of negative results “EVOKE” and “EVOKE+” trials

• More information on the POINTER Study

Special thanks this episode to Jason Karlawish, MD and David Wolk, MD.

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meaghan Sharp.

The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group. The TIAA Institute is a think tank committed to building knowledge that advances lifelong financial security and well-being while considering the intersections of health and wealth. Their cutting-edge research provides actionable financial and longevity insights that help individuals and employers navigate the complex journey of aging.

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