AD/PD 2026 Plenary Sessions

Dates: March 17-21, 2026 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Organizer: Kenes Group

Overview

Plenary sessions at AD/PD 2026 featured the most anticipated presentations of the conference, bringing together global leaders in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research to share transformative findings and vision for the field["@adpd2026"].

Opening Plenary: The Future of Neurodegeneration Research

The opening plenary session set the stage for AD/PD 2026 with presentations on:

Emerging Concepts in Disease Mechanisms

Dates: March 17-21, 2026 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Organizer: Kenes Group

Overview

Plenary sessions at AD/PD 2026 featured the most anticipated presentations of the conference, bringing together global leaders in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research to share transformative findings and vision for the field["@adpd2026"].

Opening Plenary: The Future of Neurodegeneration Research

The opening plenary session set the stage for AD/PD 2026 with presentations on:

Emerging Concepts in Disease Mechanisms

• Protein Aggregation Kinetics — New understanding of how misfolded proteins propagate between cells
• Microglial Phenotypes — Update on disease-associated microglia (DAM) and their role in neurodegeneration
• Metabolic Dysfunction — How cellular energy deficits contribute to protein misfolding

Clinical Trial Design Innovations

• Biomarker-Driven Enrollment — Using fluid biomarkers for patient selection
• Combination Therapy Approaches — Rationale for multi-target interventions
• Prevention Trial Designs — Lessons from DIAN-TU and other prevention studies

Alzheimer's Disease Plenary Sessions

Amyloid Hypothesis: Where Do We Stand?

This major plenary reviewed decades of amyloid-targeted therapy development:

Anti-Amyloid Clinical Results

• Leqembi (lecanemab) — Real-world effectiveness data and subgroup analyses
• Donanemab — TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 results and regulatory considerations
• Gantenerumab — GRADUATE program outcomes and lessons learned

Future Directions

• Amyloid removal versus prevention: different therapeutic windows
• Oligomer-targeted approaches: next generation of anti-amyloid therapies
• APOE4 carrier considerations in trial design[@crews2023]

Tau Pathology: From Basic Science to Therapy

The tau plenary covered the full spectrum of tau research:

Tau Biology Advances

• Post-translational modifications beyond phosphorylation
• Tau seeding and prion-like propagation mechanisms
• Tau isoforms and their disease specificity

Tau Therapeutic Pipeline

• Anti-tau immunotherapy results: what works and what doesn't
• Tau PET tracer development and clinical utility
• Small molecule inhibitors of tau aggregation

Parkinson's Disease Plenary Sessions

Alpha-Synuclein: The Central Player

The alpha-synuclein plenary featured cutting-edge research:

Seed Amplification Assays

• RT-QuIC and PMCA technologies for early diagnosis
• Correlations between seeding activity and clinical progression
• Utility in clinical trial enrichment

Therapeutic Targeting

• Active and passive immunization approaches
• Small molecules that prevent aggregation
• Gene therapy strategies targeting SNCA

Genetics and Precision Medicine

This session highlighted genetic discoveries and their translation:

Recent Genetic Findings

• New risk loci from GWAS studies
• Rare variants in Mendelian forms
• Polygenic risk scores in clinical practice

Gene-Specific Therapies

• LRRK2 inhibitor clinical results
• GBA-associated Parkinson's: special considerations
• SNCA duplication syndromes

Cross-Disease Plenary Sessions

Neuroinflammation: Common Ground

Sessions explored shared inflammatory mechanisms:

• Microglial Activation States — TREM2, CD33, and other genetic modifiers
• Complement System — C1q, C3, and synaptic loss
• Peripheral Immunity — How systemic inflammation affects brain

Biomarkers Across Diseases

This plenary addressed biomarker convergence:

Fluid Biomarkers

• p-tau181, p-tau217, p-tau231: Alzheimer's biomarkers in Parkinson's
• Neurofilament light chain (NfL): marker of neurodegeneration
• Alpha-synuclein seeding assays: cross-disease applications

Imaging Biomarkers

• Amyloid and tau PET in Parkinson's disease
• Alpha-synuclein PET tracer development
• White matter integrity markers

Closing Plenary: Vision 2030

The conference closed with forward-looking presentations:

Therapeutic Goals for the Next Decade

• Disease modification versus symptom relief
• Personalized medicine approaches
• Prevention strategies for at-risk individuals

Infrastructure Needs

• Global registries and data sharing
• Diversity in clinical trials
• Regulatory pathways for innovative therapies

Key Takeaways

See Also

• [AD/PD 2026 Conference](/events/adpd-2026)](/events)
• [AD/PD 2026 Scientific Sessions](/events/adpd-2026)](/events)
• [AD/PD 2026 Company Presentations](/events/adpd-2026)

References