touchSYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS Plasma exchange plus albumin in the field of Alzheimer’s disease: the AMBAR approach

Overview

In this sponsored symposium, leading experts discuss plasma exchange plus albumin in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and review the latest clinical data.

Prof. Mercè Boada
Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona – Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

Mercè Boada is a neurologist, founder, and medical director of ACE Alzheimer Center Barcelona. She is a distinguished professor at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya and member of the Executive Committee of the European Alzheimer’s disease Consortium.

Prof. Miquel Lozano
Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis, the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Miquel Lozano is a haematologist and Chief of Hemotherapy Section at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona. Prof. Lozano is also associate professor of Medicine at the Universitat in Barcelona, President of the European Society of Hemapheresis, and European Vicepresident of the World Apheresis Association.

Dr Montserrat Costa
Director of Plasma Proteins Research, Grifols, Barcelona, Spain

Montserrat Costa is a chemist, and received her PhD in Cellular Biology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She is the Director of Plasma Proteins Research and responsible for the non-clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease at Grifols.

Prof. Javier Olazarián
Neurology Service, Gregorio Marañón University Hospital, and the Memory Disorders Clinic, HM University Hospital, Madrid, Spain

Javier Olazarán is a neurologist working at the University Hospital Gregorio Marañón in Madrid. He is also Director of Research Unit and Memory Treatment, HM University Hospital, and Neurology Professor at the Medicine School of the Universidad Complutense in Madrid. Dr Olazarán has been an investigator of the AMBAR trial at his hospital.

Disclosures:
Prof. Mercè Boada discloses: Consultant fees: Grifols, Araclon Biotech, Roche, Biogen, Lilly, Merck, Zambon. Advisory boards: Grifols, Roche, Lilly, Araclon Biotech, Merck, Zambon, Biogen, Novo-Nordisk, Bioiberica, Eisai, Servier, Schwabe Pharma. Lectures: Roche, Biogen, Grifols, Nutricia, Araclon Biotech, Servier. Funding sources: Life Molecular Imaging, Bioiberica. Grants: CIBERNED Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the EU/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking, ADAPTED Grant No. 115975, from EXIT project, EU Euronanomed3 Program JCT2017 Grant No. AC17/00100, from PREADAPT project. Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND) Grant No. AC19/00097, and from grants PI13/02434, PI16/01861 BA19/00020, and PI19/01301, European Marie Sklodowska Curie. Acción Estratégica en Salud, integrated in the Spanish National RCDCI Plan and financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)- Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER – “Una manera de Hacer Europa”), by Fundación bancaria “La Caixa” and Grífols SA (GR@ACE project).

Prof. Miquel Lozano discloses: Consulting fees: Grifols. Lectures: Grifols. Research Sources: Terumo BCT, and Maco-Pharma. ML serves as Editor-in-Chief of Vox Sanguinis and as President of European Society for Hemapheresis.

Dr Montserrat Costa discloses: Employee of Grifols.

Prof. Javier Olazarán discloses: Personal compensation (scientific advisory board or speaker): Zambon, Grifols, Nutricia, and Bial. Research support: Nutricia

In this interview, we asked Prof. Mercè Boada the following questions:

• As one of the primary investigators of the AMBAR Clinical program, and Medical Director of the ACE Alzheimer Center Barcelona, what is your impression of the patient's experience of plasma exchange?
• Can you describe any practical learnings from the clinical trial that you now apply in the AMBAR Center?
• How would you describe the typical patient profile of a candidate for the AMBAR procedure?

Mercè Boada is a neurologist, founder, and medical director of ACE Alzheimer Center Barcelona. She is a distinguished professor at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya and member of the Executive Committee of the European Alzheimer’s disease Consortium.

Prof. Mercè Boada discloses: Consultant fees: Grifols, Araclon Biotech, Roche, Biogen, Lilly, Merck, Zambon. Advisory boards: Grifols, Roche, Lilly, Araclon Biotech, Merck, Zambon, Biogen, Novo-Nordisk, Bioiberica, Eisai, Servier, Schwabe Pharma. Lectures: Roche, Biogen, Grifols, Nutricia, Araclon Biotech, Servier. Funding sources: Life Molecular Imaging, Bioiberica. Grants: CIBERNED Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the EU/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking, ADAPTED Grant No. 115975, from EXIT project, EU Euronanomed3 Program JCT2017 Grant No. AC17/00100, from PREADAPT project. Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND) Grant No. AC19/00097, and from grants PI13/02434, PI16/01861 BA19/00020, and PI19/01301, European Marie Sklodowska Curie. Acción Estratégica en Salud, integrated in the Spanish National RCDCI Plan and financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)- Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER – “Una manera de Hacer Europa”), by Fundación bancaria “La Caixa” and Grífols SA (GR@ACE project).