Analysis of New Phase III Therapies, Currently in Clinical Trials, Targeting Alzheimer’s Disease, Various Forms of Dementia and Their Neuropsychiatric Symptoms—A Review of the Specialized Literature

Cognitive disorders, from mild cognitive impairment to more serious dementia, are becoming more common and are directly related to the increased longevity and quality of life throughout the world. This demographic dynamic places a tremendous pressure on health care systems and fosters vigorous research in the international medical community, with the aim of identifying disease-modifying treatments able to stop or slow the progression of these neurodegenerative diseases. In total, 28 molecules are presently under development in this therapeutic portfolio at various phases of clinical studies. The main purpose of this research is to conduct a detailed analysis of therapeutic agents in Phase III clinical trials, a key phase for evaluating efficacy and safety. Another section describes monoclonal antibodies, a class of drugs that has already demonstrated impressive results as DMTs by specifically targeting pathogenic processes. Besides DMTs, there are several innovative approaches under research for treating acute exacerbations and symptom relief in neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to critically synthesize the therapeutic landscape in dementia, pointing to promising directions for future clinical research. Of the 28 candidates evaluated, 7.1% met the primary efficacy endpoints in Phase III, 50.0% showed minimal or no efficacy, and 42.9% await definitive results. While monoclonal antibodies demonstrate a modest slowing of clinical progression in early-stage disease, many candidate compounds have failed, underscoring the ongoing difficulties of late-stage pharmaceutical development.