Remaining focused on transforming the lives of people with Alzheimer’s disease and neurological conditions

I have been working in neuroscience for long enough to know that sometimes you don’t get the results you want. There are instances when despite collective scientific efforts you simply cannot get there. For the team at Roche working on our investigational Alzheimer’s medicine for over two decades, there have been many years of scientific successes and learning from setbacks prior to the results we shared. And despite the result, we will never give up hope and will continue to advance science in Alzheimer’s and in neuroscience.

Looking ahead, our commitment to researching and developing new potential treatments and solutions for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other neurological diseases remains steadfast. We’re in this for the long term which means decades of investing in innovation until we achieve breakthroughs. In broad terms, we are at a pivotal moment in neuroscience with many new technologies and discoveries soon to be made. This is not a time to stop or give up.

Making a significant contribution to advance science

As I’ve mentioned before, scientific advancement is rarely linear. It is iterative, cumulative and hard won. As each piece of new data is realised, the immensely challenging puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease?becomes clearer. The scientific insights we’ve gleaned from our extensive research and clinical trial programmes, which are the most comprehensive in Alzheimer’s disease, have undoubtedly contributed to a better scientific understanding of the condition and how the disease progresses. Along the way, we have been driven to work more closely with those living with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as academics and regulators to create new clinical research tools and collaborate on clinical trials, making it possible to boldly move forward. We should all be proud of what has been achieved and we sincerely thank the Alzheimer’s community for their partnerships on this journey.

Reaffirming our long-term commitment to neuroscience

With decades of experience in neuroscience, we have the unique ability to apply our scientific research and advancements across multiple therapeutic areas. It is important not to lose sight of our?collective progress in other neurological conditions. Within the last few years, we have made life-changing advances in multiple sclerosis and are tackling some of the most disabling and rare neurological diseases including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Not only have we delivered breakthrough treatments, but our commitment to and collaboration with patients has also been recognised. We are ranked first out of pharmaceutical companies by patients in the 2021 Patient View survey. Beyond treatments, we are uniquely positioned with Pharma and Diagnostics under one roof to look more holistically at earlier detection and diagnosis before a disease takes hold.?????

Investing more in R&D than any other healthcare company

I’m proud to say that in 2021 we invested $13.7 billion in research and development (R&D) across our many therapeutic areas, making us the number one across all healthcare companies. As a result, in neuroscience we have more than a dozen investigational medicines. We continue to research Alzheimer’s disease, and beyond this, we are investigating Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, MS and Angelman’s syndrome. In our relentless pursuit of ground-breaking science, we are unlocking the potential of gene therapy, starting with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Our approach to neurological disease is anchored in transformative science, but the solution to this global healthcare problem goes beyond diagnostics and medicines alone. With greater partnership and collaboration with patients, caregivers, patient organisations, healthcare professionals and healthcare systems – we will continue to create a better future for those affected by some of the most devastating neurological conditions. We are ready for the next phase in our journey to preserve what makes people who they are.