We receive funding to develop an innovative PET imaging tool for Alzheimer’s neuroinflammation

The Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Centre (BBRC) is part of this ambitious research international initiative aimed at advancing a novel PET imaging agent to better understand neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. In collaboration with two world-class institutions, Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) and the University Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilian University (LMU).

The initiative is supported by a $2.16 million investment from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). The project focuses on the development and clinical validation of [¹⁸F]F-DED, an investigational F18-labeled PET tracer targeting monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), an enzyme associated with neuroinflammation. 

[¹⁸F]F-DED is an experimental PET tracer—a radioactive compound designed for use in positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which is still under investigation and not yet approved for routine clinical use. This tracer is being studied for its ability to visualize neuroinflammation in the brain, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It offers a more specific and sensitive way to study neuroinflammation in vivo. 

“By combining data from diverse Alzheimer's disease cohorts, we aim to unravel the complexities of disease progression,” said Dr. Gemma Salvadó, Group Leader of Neuroimaging Research at BBRC. “We’re thrilled to embark on this exciting journey alongside our esteemed partners.”

The project seeks to overcome longstanding challenges in neuroinflammation imaging—particularly variability due to genetic polymorphisms that affect ligand binding—by providing a more reliable and sensitive method to visualize astrocyte activity. The [¹⁸F]F-DED tracer could offer valuable insights into the temporal and spatial dynamics of neuroinflammation and its role in the progression of both sporadic and genetically predisposed Alzheimer’s disease.

“PET-Imaging tools provide important insights into understanding Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and are integrated now into clinical care,” says Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. “New imaging tools exploring neuroinflammation may offer a non-invasive approach to visualize astrocyte activity alongside established biomarkers to further examine the relationship between inflammation and Alzheimer’s. If successful, this innovative approach will help deepen our understanding of the underlying disease.”  

With this collaboration, BBRC reinforces its commitment to advancing early detection and intervention strategies in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases through cutting-edge neuroimaging research.