This page provides a comprehensive comparison of therapeutic targets across Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD), highlighting common mechanisms, disease-specific approaches, and clinical development status.
| Target |
AD Approach |
PD Approach |
Clinical Status |
| Amyloid-beta |
Anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies (lecanemab, donanemab) |
N/A |
FDA approved (AD) |
| Tau protein |
Anti-tau immunotherapies, kinase inhibitors |
N/A |
Phase 3 (AD) |
| α-Synuclein |
N/A |
Anti-α-syn immunotherapies, aggregation inhibitors |
Phase 2/3 (PD) |
| TDP-43 |
N/A |
None currently in clinic |
Preclinical |
| Target |
AD Drug Class |
AD Examples |
PD Drug Class |
PD Examples |
| Dopamine |
Not applicable |
N/A |
Dopamine precursors |
Levodopa |
| Dopamine receptors |
Not applicable |
N/A |
D1/D2 agonists |
Pramipexole, rotigotine |
| Cholinergic |
Cholinesterase inhibitors |
Donepezil, rivastigmine |
Cholinesterase inhibitors |
Rivastigmine |
| Glutamate |
NMDA antagonist |
Memantine |
Not applicable |
N/A |
| Adenosine |
Not applicable |
N/A |
A2A antagonists |
Istradefylline |
| Serotonin |
SSRIs |
Sertraline |
5-HT agonists |
Piribedil |
| Gene Target |
AD Approach |
PD Approach |
Delivery Method |
| APP |
ASO targeting APP |
N/A |
Intrathecal |
| SNCA |
N/A |
ASO, RNAi |
Intracerebral |
| GBA |
N/A |
Gene replacement |
AAV |
| LRRK2 |
N/A |
ASO, kinase inhibitors |
Intrathecal |
| BDNF |
AAV-BDNF |
AAV-GDNF |
Stereotactic |
- Anti-amyloid antibodies: Lecanemab, donanemab, aducanumab
- Anti-tau vaccines: ACI-35, BVRL-001
- Mechanism: Clear Aβ plaques, reduce tau tangles
- Anti-α-synuclein antibodies: Cinpanemab, prasinezumab
- Vaccines: PD01A, PD03A
- Mechanism: Clear Lewy bodies, prevent propagation
¶ 5. Neuroprotection and Disease Modification
| Mechanism |
AD Targets |
PD Targets |
Shared? |
| Neuroinflammation |
Anti-inflammatory drugs, GLP-1 agonists |
GLP-1 agonists |
Yes (partial) |
| Oxidative stress |
Antioxidants |
CoQ10, antioxidants |
Yes |
| Mitochondrial dysfunction |
GLP-1, mitochondria-targeted |
Mitochondrial enhancers |
Yes (partial) |
| Protein homeostasis |
Proteostasis modulators |
Autophagy enhancers |
Yes (partial) |
| Metal homeostasis |
Metal chelators |
Metal chelators |
Yes |
¶ 6. Receptor and Channel Targets
| Target Class |
AD Candidates |
PD Candidates |
Notes |
| GLP-1 receptor |
Semaglutide, liraglutide |
Semaglutide |
Both in trials |
| Sigma-1 receptor |
Anavex 2-73 |
Avicanor |
Different indications |
| CB1/CB2 cannabis |
Nabilone |
Nabilone |
Appetite, pain |
| TRPV1 capsaicin |
Not in AD |
Capsaicin patch |
Pain |
| 5-HT6 receptor |
Idalopirdine |
Not in PD |
Cognitive |
- Phase 3: 15+ candidates
- Phase 2: 50+ candidates
- Disease modification: 8 candidates
- Symptomatic: 7 candidates
- Biomarker-driven: Most programs
- Phase 3: 10+ candidates
- Phase 2: 40+ candidates
- Disease modification: 6 candidates
- Gene therapy: 5 programs
- Cell therapy: 3 programs
- Protein clearance: Immunotherapies targeting misfolded proteins
- Neuroinflammation: Microglial modulation, NLRP3 inhibitors
- Synaptic protection: BDNF signaling, synaptic vesicle modulators
- Metabolic support: Mitochondrial function, bioenergetics
- Cognitive enhancement: Cholinesterase inhibitors, glutamatergic modulators
- Motor symptoms: Dopaminergic, adenosine antagonism
- Non-motor symptoms: Sleep, mood, autonomic
| Priority |
AD Targets |
PD Targets |
Rationale |
| P0 |
Aβ, Tau |
α-Synuclein |
Core pathology |
| P1 |
Neuroinflammation |
Neuroinflammation |
Disease modification |
| P2 |
Synaptic function |
Mitochondrial function |
Disease modification |
| P3 |
Metabolic support |
Autophagy |
Supportive |
- GLP-1 agonists: Active in both AD and PD trials
- TREM2 modulators: Microglial targeting in AD, potential in PD
- Autophagy enhancers: Protein clearance in both
- NLRP3 inhibitors: Neuroinflammation in both
- Antioxidants: Mitochondrial protection
- Metal chelators: Metal dysregulation
- Cell therapy: Stem cell approaches
- APP-targeted: AD only
- Dopaminergic: PD only
- Tau vaccines: AD only
- Cummings et al., Alzheimer's disease drug development pipeline (2024)
- Pagano et al., Parkinson's disease drug pipeline (2024)
- Knight et al., Gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases (2024)