Bill Gates reveals 'next phase of Alzheimer's fight' as he shares dad's personal battle

Bill Gates is speaking retired astir his idiosyncratic acquisition with Alzheimer’s — and his anticipation for advancement successful warring the disease.

In an effort published this week connected his blog astatine GatesNotes.com, the Microsoft co-founder and tech billionaire, 69, reflected connected the trouble of spending different Father’s Day without his dad, Bill Gates Sr.

The elder Gates passed distant successful 2020 astatine the property of 94 aft battling Alzheimer’s.

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"It was a brutal experience, watching my brilliant, loving begetter spell downhill and disappear," Gates wrote successful the blog post.

Today, motivated by his ain acquisition with the communal dementia, Gates — who serves arsenic seat of the Gates Foundation — is committed to moving toward a cure for the communal dementia, which presently affects much than 7 cardinal Americans, oregon 1 successful 9 radical implicit 65.

Bill Gates and Bill Gates Sr. airs successful a gathering country astatine the Seattle office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation successful 2008. (Gates Ventures)

In his blog, Gates expressed optimism astir the "massive progress" being made successful the combat against Alzheimer’s and different dementias.

Last year, Gates said helium visited Indiana University’s School of Medicine successful Indianapolis to circuit the labs wherever teams person been researching Alzheimer’s biomarkers.

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"I besides got the accidental to look nether the hood of caller automated machines that volition soon beryllium moving diagnostics astir the world," helium wrote. "It’s an breathtaking clip successful a challenging space."

One of the biggest breakthroughs successful Alzheimer’s research, according to Gates, is blood-based diagnostic tests, which observe the ratio of amyloid plaques in the brain. (Amyloid plaques, clumps of macromolecule that accumulate successful the brain, are 1 of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s.)

Bill Gates Jr. (right) poses with his begetter astatine his graduation ceremonial successful 1973. (Gates family)

"I’m optimistic that these tests volition beryllium a game-changer," Gates wrote. 

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the archetypal blood-based test for patients 55 years and older, arsenic Fox News Digital reported astatine the time.

"A simple, close and easy-to-run humor trial mightiness 1 time marque regular screening possible."

Traditionally, Gates noted, the superior way to Alzheimer’s diagnosis was either a PET scan (medical imaging) oregon spinal pat (lumbar puncture), which were usually lone performed erstwhile symptoms emerged.

The anticipation is that blood-based tests could bash a amended occupation of catching the illness early, diminution begins.

The Gates household poses for a photograph successful 1965. The elder Gates passed distant successful 2020 astatine the property of 94 aft battling Alzheimer’s. (Gates family)

"We present cognize that the illness begins 15 to 20 years earlier you commencement to spot immoderate signs," Gates wrote. 

"A simple, close and easy-to-run blood trial might 1 time marque regular screening possible, identifying patients agelong earlier they acquisition cognitive decline," helium stated.

Gates said helium is often asked, "What is the constituent of getting diagnosed if I can’t bash thing astir it?"

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To that end, helium expressed his optimism for the aboriginal of Alzheimer’s treatments, noting that two drugs — Lecanemab (Leqembi) and Donanemab (Kisunla) — person gained FDA approval.

"Both person proven to modestly dilatory down the progression of the disease, but what I’m truly excited astir is their imaginable erstwhile paired with an aboriginal diagnostic," Gates noted.

Alzheimer's illness presently affects much than 7 cardinal Americans, oregon 1 successful 9 radical implicit 65. (iStock)

He said helium is besides hopeful that the humor tests volition assistance velocity up the process of enrolling patients successful objective trials for caller Alzheimer’s drugs.

To execute this, Gates is calling for accrued funding for research, which often comes from national grants.

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"This is the infinitesimal to walk more wealth connected research, not less," helium wrote, besides stating that "the quest to halt Alzheimer’s has ne'er had much momentum."

"There is inactive a immense magnitude of enactment to beryllium done — similar deepening our knowing of the disease’s pathology and processing adjacent amended diagnostics," Gates went on. 

"I americium blown distant by however overmuch we person learned astir Alzheimer’s implicit the past mates of years."

Gates pointed retired that erstwhile his begetter had Alzheimer’s, it was considered a "death sentence," but that is starting to change.

"I americium blown distant by however overmuch we person learned astir Alzheimer’s implicit the past mates of years," helium wrote.

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"I cannot assistance but beryllium filled with a consciousness of anticipation erstwhile I deliberation of each the advancement being made connected Alzheimer’s, adjacent with truthful galore challenges happening astir the world. We are person than ever earlier to a satellite wherever nary 1 has to ticker idiosyncratic they emotion endure from this atrocious disease."