UK trial tests metformin and atomoxetine on Alzheimer’s patients for brain health

A new UK clinical trial called AD‑SMART has begun testing two existing medicines – a diabetes drug and an ADHD drug – on people with Alzheimer’s disease, with 67‑year‑old Angela Bucksey from Cambridgeshire becoming the first participant. Bucksey, diagnosed in January, said she felt empowered by joining the study, adding that “at least you are doing something” rather than simply watching the disease progress.

The trial aims to speed up the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatments, which traditionally takes a decade or more per drug. AD‑SMART uses a multi‑arm, multi‑stage platform design that lets several treatments be evaluated at once against a single placebo group. If a drug shows no benefit, it can be dropped quickly and a new candidate added, a method that has already shortened development times in cancer and motor neurone disease research.

The first two drugs under review are metformin, a common type‑2 diabetes medication, and atomoxetine, used for ADHD. Both were chosen by an international panel of experts because they may reduce brain inflammation, a key driver of neurodegeneration. Chief investigator Prof Paresh Malhotra of Imperial College London explained that the study will look for improvements in memory, thinking and everyday activities – the outcomes that matter most to patients and carers. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose father died of Alzheimer’s last month, praised the trial as a step toward delivering cutting‑edge treatments to UK patients faster.

If the trial shows that either drug improves cognition or daily function, it could shave years off the development pipeline for new Alzheimer’s medicines. A positive result would also validate the platform approach, encouraging more rapid testing of repurposed drugs. Researchers expect the first results within the next two years, and the study could expand to include additional candidates as it progresses, potentially reshaping how the disease is tackled worldwide.