Colleagues, Trusted Partners, & Friends,
We want to share a brief update on how Q1 of 2026 unfolded for the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation (GAP) and the significant work anticipated ahead.
In January, our work received global coverage as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) spotlighted the Bio-Hermes-002 (BH2) study in a story about a finger prick blood test that offers a more accessible method for assisting in the diagnose of Alzheimer’s disease, supported by our partners, LifeArc, and being validated in Bio-Hermes-002. The story was featured in nearly 150 articles, 300 online mentions, and was broadcast on five additional news stations. Collectively, over three billion people heard of this groundbreaking, field changing test.
The BBC story highlighted the rigor and diagnostic capabilities of the study, and the precedent it sets for the number of diverse digital and BBM technologies it is incorporating and measuring against state-of-the-art MRI and PET images. It also amplified our commitment to ensuring the study has a robust enrollment of volunteers from understudied populations (USP). We are proud to report that Bio-Hermes-002 is on track to enroll 29% of its study participants from USP. GAP recently announced that BH2 is fully enrolled (n=1,000) as of March.
GAP celebrated a decade of collaboration with our 2026 GAP-Net Site Optimization Conference in Las Vegas with over 250 attendees, 40+ speakers, and 23 sponsors. The conversations explored a wide variety of issues surrounding the operational challenges facing clinical trial sites conducting AD research. Conference sponsors included a broad mix of stakeholders in AD research, and we thank AbbVie, Alamar Biosciences, Anavex, Biogen, Brainscope, Bristol Myers Squibb, Catalyst MedTech, Cumulous Neuro, Eisai, Evolution Research Group, GE Healthcare, Hilarity for Charity, IQVIA, IXICO, K2 Medical Research, Lilly, Linus, Quanterix, Siemens Healthineers, SiteRx, and Spear Bio.
A highlight of the conference was receiving the Spirit of Rosa Parks Award, which I accepted on GAP’s behalf from Mr. Bill Preston of the Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. Our organization continues to be a recognized leader in advancing study and research diversity, and while I look forward to a day when that is commonplace, we were honored to receive this award.
Programming throughout the event reflected an operational focus on scientific progress and human impact. Voices from across the ecosystem—including patient-participant advocates and leading researchers—reinforced a shared imperative: accelerating more precise detection and expanding access to innovation. Sessions like “Future Landscape of Alzheimer’s Disease Trials” and “Breakthroughs in Biomarkers & Emerging Tech” highlight a growing field of diagnostic companies at different stages of regulatory readiness, all working to bring new blood-based tests to market. An emerging research topic, “Understanding Gender Disparities in AD: Biology, Clinical Trial Designs, & Trial Participation” helped spark important conversations about the increased prevalence of AD in women, the biology behind it, and how this could impact clinical trial implementation and analysis.
Thank you to all who attended, spoke, sponsored, and supported this event. It is a special thing to get together, and even more so when the reason is as important as accelerating neurodegenerative research. I encourage you to watch the recordings of these important topics if you missed it or need a refresh.
In between these pivotal, groundbreaking achievements, this quarter our team also
- Refreshed the Bio-Hermes-001 data available through the ADDI Portal on the AD Workbench to include new BD Tau and pTau 231 results from the University of Gotenburg and a full set of test results from the Neulisa platform. More than 146 research teams have requested access to this dataset over the last 8 months and requests for access continue to surge in.
- Compiled a biospecimen database from volunteers of GAP-sponsored studies: Bio-Hermes-001 and Apheleia-001. Our unique, high-quality repository is reflective of the work GAP does every day and is available through discussions with the GAP sales team.
- Hosted our 100th site event on our THOR East and West Mobile Research Units since launching in August 2025.
- Rolled out a first of its kind Healthcare Provider Biomarker engagement program in 7 MSAs.
Collectively, these milestones reflect more than activity; they signal acceleration. They are the result of a decade-long foundation built by a growing network of GAP-Net sites, thousands of citizen scientists, dedicated staff, and a global community of partners.
As the year unfolds, the trajectory is clear: advancing science, expanding access, and driving measurable impact in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of GAP’s first decade.
Regards,
John Dwyer
President