Celebrated annually on September 21, World Alzheimer’s Day highlights the importance of research and support for those affected by this disease. On this occasion, CNP Assurances reaffirms its commitment alongside the Rothschild Foundation Hospital through a dialogue between François Guilgot, Head of the Wealth Management Europe Business Unit, and Dr. Jean-Claude Sadik, MD and Head of the Imaging Department.
What motivated CNP Assurances to support research alongside the Rothschild Foundation Hospital, and how does this commitment fit into your mission as a responsible insurer?
F.G: At CNP Assurances, our partnership with the Rothschild Foundation Hospital is fully aligned with our mission as a responsible insurer, committed to contributing to social progress and public health. Supporting medical research, particularly in fields as sensitive as neuroscience or eye health, stems from a deep conviction: that scientific innovation is an essential driver for sustainably improving quality of life.
This partnership reflects our desire to go beyond our core business by supporting healthcare professionals in their efforts to advance patient care. It embodies our social responsibility, consistent with our commitments to prevention, inclusion, and solidarity.
By supporting the Rothschild Foundation, we affirm our role as a socially responsible company, attentive to long-term challenges and the needs of future generations.
Given that this disease remains incurable, why is it essential for public and private stakeholders to encourage new avenues of research, and how does this reflect CNP Assurances’ commitment?
J-C.S: Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common neurological disorders. It affects nearly one million people in France, with approximately 200,000 new cases each year. This condition creates such a high level of dependency that it profoundly disrupts the lives of patients and their loved ones. It is estimated that a patient in the advanced stages of the disease alters the lives of two caregivers around them. Thus, nearly 3 million French people are directly or indirectly affected.
The scale of these figures makes it essential for private entities to partner with public authorities, as the latter cannot bear all the consequences alone. Private companies, as guardians of our society’s moral values, also have a duty to support our fellow citizens.
For decades, CNP Assurances has been committed to prevention, planning for the future, and supporting people with illnesses. It therefore plays a vital role in supporting the funding of French medical research.
In recent years, numerous research projects have emerged, yielding encouraging results: certain monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid plaques are showing progress, new anti-Tau protein immunotherapies are emerging, as well as treatments that target brain inflammation.
Beyond medical research, what levers do you consider a priority today for improving the quality of life for patients with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers?
J-C.S: It is essential that patients are cared for in facilities with adequate human and material resources to optimize stimulation. It is well established that a lack of stimulation accelerates cognitive decline.
Today, several projects incorporating artificial intelligence are paving the way for more fluid and personalized cognitive stimulation protocols. However, it remains essential to preserve the human element, which must remain at the heart of the relationship with patients. The development of these facilities also helps alleviate the burden on caregivers, whose role remains central to daily support.
How can we ensure that scientific and medical advances benefit as many people as possible, and why is this aspect of accessibility and solidarity at the heart of your approach?
J-C.S: Medical research requires considerable investment, often with no guarantee of success. Other approaches, such as the Brainwaves project at the Rothschild Foundation Hospital, allow us to rethink this model. This program aims to repurpose molecules that are already known and on the market using an innovative technique: the temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier via ultrasound, allowing an immunomodulatory drug to reach the brain.
The Rothschild Foundation Hospital has obtained authorization from the ANSM to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and tolerability of this treatment, with partial financial support from CNP Assurances. If this research is successful, the drug’s prior commercialization should facilitate access for a large number of patients.
In the context of an aging population, how does CNP Assurances intend to contribute, through this type of partnership, to rethinking the role of health, independence, and solidarity in our societies?
F.G: As a socially responsible insurer, CNP Assurances believes that its responsibility extends beyond simply covering risks: it involves actively supporting those working toward a more inclusive and resilient society.
Through partnerships such as the one with the Rothschild Foundation Hospital, we help advance research, improve care for the elderly, and promote innovative solutions that support the maintenance of independence. These commitments reflect our commitment to supporting demographic transitions by placing prevention, dignity, and social connections at the heart of our work.
An impact-driven approach serving the common good
By partnering with medical research, CNP Assurances concretely illustrates its vision of an insurer committed to the common good, working for social progress as much as for the protection of individuals.
Beyond funding, this commitment reflects a strong conviction: the future of healthcare depends on cooperation between public, private, and nonprofit actors, working toward a more inclusive society where every scientific innovation becomes a step forward for humanity.
