The ACCESS-AD consortium is announcing the launch of a transformative European initiative that will accelerate the implementation of scientific innovations for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) management in real-world health systems.
The international consortium – bringing together academic institutions, industry partners, SMEs and patient organisations – is co-led by Amsterdam UMC, Siemens Healthineers, King’s College London and Gates Ventures, with funding from the European Commission’s Innovative Health Initiative for a five-year period. The initial budget is over 37 million euros, of which approximately 20 million euros will come from the EU and approximately 17 million euros from industrial partners.
ACCESS-AD brings together 30 organizations, including universities, hospitals, patient organizations, SMEs, medical device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies.
The amount of funding granted to the Wellbeing services county of North Savo for the project is 708,000 euros. The Clinical Radiology Unit at Kuopio University Hospital is participating in the project under the leadership of Professor Juhana Hakumäki, together with Professor of Neuroepidemiology Alina Solomon from the University of Eastern Finland and her research group.
The project begins at a pivotal moment for AD care in Europe. In 2025, two new disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), lecanemab and donanemab, received regulatory approval, offering a first opportunity to slow the progression of AD. However, additional accessible and scalable treatment options are also needed, since Member States are confronted with rapidly escalating diagnostic bottlenecks, long waiting times and a growing shortage of specialised healthcare professionals. AD prevalence is rising sharply and is expected to exceed 19 million by 2050 in Europe alone. Health systems are already struggling to deliver timely diagnostic testing, brain imaging and structured clinical follow-up, raising the risk of delayed treatment and poorer outcomes.
ACCESS-AD aims to address these challenges directly, accelerating innovation and strengthening equitable access to timely and effective care.
ACCESS-AD is pioneering a coordinated, multimodal clinical framework that unites brain imaging, blood-based biomarkers, digital monitoring tools, AI-driven decision support, and real-world evidence into a seamless patient pathway. Its design aims to accelerate diagnostic confirmation, support the safe administration of DMTs and novel interventions, and broaden access to advanced innovations beyond specialist centres, including primary care and underserved regions.
A central focus of the project is the combination of advanced but accessible neuroimaging with expanded use of fluid and digital biomarkers. This will support early and accurate patient identification, enabling timely diagnosis and entry into personalised treatment pathways that may include DMTs, targeted lifestyle interventions and nutritional strategies.
“Our vision is simple but ambitious: to make personalised care a reality for every patient with AD, regardless of where they live,” said Professor Frederik Barkhof from Amsterdam UMC and Clinical Lead of ACCESS-AD. “ACCESS-AD brings together the clinical, scientific and societal stakeholders needed to turn innovation into everyday practice across Europe.”
For further information, please contact:
Professor Juhana Hakumäki, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, [email protected]
