RADAR-AD

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition with significant social, economic and psychological consequences. Cases worldwide are constantly increasing to immersive figures, tripling to 131.5 million worldwide by 2050. To date, one major difficulty for its clinical care is the assessment of daily functionality problems as it is based solely on subjective evidence and/or the recall of specific events by the caregivers. At the same time, the detection of biomarkers that will determine whether a patient will deteriorate, from the early stages of cognitive impairment to the later stage of AD, remains one of the most critical research challenges.

On the other hand, information communication technologies (ICT) have significantly evolved. The possibilities offered through the use of smartphones, wearables and remote monitoring devices promise to radically change the care and assessment of people with AD. In fact, objective and reliable monitoring by such devices gives much more rich information about the individual’s condition than subjective observations. Thus, such technologies enable the evolution from a “diagnosis and treatment” to a “prediction” model of caring for the disease, which will allow individuals to live independently.

The RADAR-AD project, launched in January 2019 with three years duration, is expected to bring such technologies closer to pharmaceutical practice. The aim of the RADAR-AD (Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse in Alzheimer’s Disease) is to develop and validate technologically advanced and sensitive measurements of the daily problems of people who are at the initial stage of AD (e.g., Mild Cognitive Impairment). To achieve this, RADAR-AD will work in close collaboration with patient organizations and regulatory authorities to select and integrate the most relevant devices available in order to measure daily function in a timely manner. Overall, the assessment of the proposed technology will be carried out across Europe, involving around 220 people from all stages of the AD continuum.

The project consortium consists of 17 European organizations: academic, such as King’s College London, Oxford University and the Karolinska Institute, industrial, such as Lygature, The Hyve, Software AG, and the non-governmental organization Alzheimer Europe. Most notable, pharmaceutical companies, which include Janssen, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Takeda and Lilly, are also involved and co-finance the project, through the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Coordination has been undertaken by King’s College London together with EFPIA Janssen and Novartis. The Information Technologies Institute (ITI) of the Center for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), and in particular the Multimedia Knowledge and Social Networks Laboratory (MKLab), will significantly contribute to RADAR-AD through its many years of experience in the field of e-health, diagnosis, remote monitoring, assistive solutions and smart systems and the coordination of several health-related projects (such as http://www.demcare.eu).

Specifically, within RADAR-AD, CERTH-ITI will host 10 patients to stay at the “ITI-Smart Home”, a real living environment with embedded sensors and smart devices. Through this pilot, we will have the opportunity to investigate various behavioral patterns, difficulties occurring within the AD spectrum, multiple biological functions, daily functionality problems and various aspects of deterioration in people with AD. This particular pilot is one of the three of the project and considered as a pioneering assessment of people with AD at a realistic home-like research environment. More specifically, it is expected to play a pivotal role in the final choice of the technology and equipment package of the project.

Consortium

KING’S COLLEGE LONDON
STICHTING LYGATURE
STICHTING VUMC
THE HYVE BV
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET
AGENTSCHAP COLLEGE TER BEOORDELING VAN GENEESMIDDELEN
FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
ALZHEIMER EUROPE
JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICA NV
TAKEDA DEVELOPMENT CENTRE EUROPE LTD.
NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
NOKIA BELL
Eli Lilly and Company Limited
SOFTWARE AG
ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS
Altoida AG