A Clinical Trial of AAV2-BDNF Gene Therapy in Early Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

This is an open label Phase I clinical trial of AAV2-BDNF gene therapy for early Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in 12 participants. BDNF is a nervous system growth factor that regulates neuronal function in key memory circuits of the brain (the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus). BDNF reduces cell loss, stimulates cell function, and builds new connections (synapses) between brain cells in animal models. This clinical trial will use techniques of gene therapy because the candidate therapeutic protein, BDNF, does not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Two previous clinical programs of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) gene therapy for AD and Neurturin gene therapy for Parkinson's disease in over 120 patients provided evidence that degenerating neurons respond to growth factors with classic "trophic" responses in the human brain. Participants will undergo one gene transfer procedure. Thus, dosing is performed only once, and repeat dosing or daily medications are not expected to be required. 12 participants will be enrolled in this Phase I trial, 6 with early AD and 6 with MCI.