Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

FDA Approves Aduhelm, First Targeted Alzheimer’s Therapy

For the first time in almost 18 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new treatment — Aduhelm, also known as aducanumab — for Alzheimer’s disease, and a first targeted treatment for patients. With this approval, Aduhelm becomes the first disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s, and…

FDA Places Gene Therapy LX1001 on Fast Track

LX1001, a gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease being developed by Lexeo Therapeutics, has been granted fast track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The therapy is designed to deliver a version of the APOE gene, called APOE2, to cells in the central nervous system (the…

#AANAM – EMBARK Trial to Again Test Safety, Efficacy of Aducanumab

A new Phase 3 clinical trial, called EMBARK, will evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of aducanumab (BIIB037), an investigational therapy for Alzheimer’s disease in patients who took part in its previous clinical studies. The trial’s design was described by Carmen Castrillo-Viguera, a medical director at Biogen, in the poster “…

Sargramostim, Immune System Activator, May Aid Cognition, Small Trial Finds

People with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease  treated for three weeks with sargramostim, a medication that activates the immune system, showed improvements in cognition in a small clinical trial. These results support further investigation of sargramostim — and, more generally, the strategy of targeted immune activation — in treating Alzheimer’s, its…

Oral Simufilam Found to Improve Cognition, Behavior After 6 Months’ Use

Simufilam, an investigational oral medication being developed by Cassava Sciences, improved cognition and behavior in people with Alzheimer’s disease after six months of dosing in a clinical trial, interim data show. “Today’s data once again suggests simufilam could be a transformative, novel therapeutic,” Nadav Friedmann, MD, PhD, chief medical…

Patients, Caregivers Urged to Get COVID-19 Vaccines ASAP

People with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as their caregivers, are being urged — on social media and via press releases — to get COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. That’s the recommendation of the Medical, Scientific and Memory Screening Advisory Board of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA). “Getting…