THE ASPREE PROJECT

 

ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) is a landmark research project to advance better health outcomes for older adults. ASPREE is comprised of an aspirin trial and a follow up health and ageing study.

THE ASPREE Clinical Trial (completed)

The largest primary prevention aspirin trial in 19,114 healthy older adults.

This ‘gold standard’ trial – randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily low-dose aspirin (100mg) – provided the first evidence that an aspirin a day does not prolong years of good health for ‘healthy’ older adults (those without cardiovascular disease, dementia or significant physical disability.)

ASPREE was the first preventive trial to consider the effect of aspirin on disability-free life in healthy adults, aged mostly 70+ years. 

 

THE ASPREE-XT (eXTension) follow-up study (current)

The first follow-up study into long lasting effects of aspirin on health and other factors affecting healthy ageing.

ASPREE and the follow-up ASPREE-XT study will determine for the first time, aspirin’s short term and longer term effects on cancer, dementia and physical disability.  ASPREE-XT will also investigate factors, such as those related to lifestyle, health behaviour, environment, genes and many others, that may be predictors of good health and longevity or predispose to age-related diseases.

 

ASPREE’S HISTORY

ASPREE Project Journey

A series of curated images marking major project milestones

October 2009

Prof John McNeil announces NIA funding for the world-first ASPREE Clinical Trial, a multi-site, bi-national primary prevention aspirin trial in older adults.

February 2010

ASPREE investigators launch in Melbourne,  the CSIRO-funded ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank, a world-first ‘bank’ of biospecimens from healthy older Australians.

March 2010

Governor of Victoria, Prof David de Krester, Prof John McNeil (ASPREE) and Prof Peter Mudge (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners), launch the ASPREE Clinical Trial at Government House, Melbourne.

August 2010

The future Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, local MP, Jacinta Allan and Prof John McNeil launch the ASPREE Clinical Trial Centre in Bendigo.

Members of the Bendigo team conduct study activity in central Victoria.

December 2010

The ASPREE Clinical Trial Centre in Traralgon, Victoria opens.

Members of the Traralgon team travel to Bairnsdale, Paynesville, and south-west Gippsland.

March 2011

ASPREE launches a Clinical Trial Centre in Ballarat, Victoria.

Members of the Ballarat ASPREE team conduct study activity in and around the Goldfields region.

March 2011

Vale Frank Costa, Geelong personality and philanthropist, who helped launch the ASPREE Clinical Trial Centre in his regional city.

Members of the Geelong team conduct study activity in the greater Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula areas.

June 2011

Victorian Minister, Dr Denis Napthine MP, attends the launch of the Warrnambool ASPREE Clinical Trial Centre.  Members of the Warrnambool team conduct study activity across south-western parts of Victoria, including Hamilton, Port Fairy and Portland and in Mount Gambier, SA.

February 2012

ASPREE begins recruiting residents living in Melbourne’s northern suburbs into the trial.

August 2012

ASPREE launches the Wodonga Clinical Trial Centre.

Members of the Wodonga ASPREE team conduct study activities in north-east Victoria and and southern NSW.

September 2012

Federal Minister,  Hon Mark Butler MP, launches the Adelaide ASPREE Clinical Trial Centre housed at Adelaide University.

Members of the Adelaide ASPREE team conduct study activities in Adelaide and Victor Harbour.

April 2013

The ASPREE Clinical Trial is officially launced in Mildura.

Members of the ASPREE Melbourne field team regularly travel to Mildura to conduct study activity.

October 2013

ASPREE launches a Clinical Trial Centre in Wollongong.

The Wollongong team conduct study activities in the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Nowra regions.

October 2014

International aspirin researcher, Prof Carlo Patrono, gives a key note address at an aspirin and cancer symposium,  hosted by Monash University and the CSIRO.

December 2014

Recruitment phase of the ASPREE Clinical Trial closes with 19,114 participants:

  • 16,703 from 16 sites in south-eastern Australia
  • 2,411 from 28 sites in the USA
  • Average age is 74 years, with 56% women
  • The oldest participant is 98 years

May 2015

Prof Christina Mitchell, Dean of the Monash Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, and visiting Co-Principal Investigator of the ASPREE trial in the USA, Prof Richard Grimm, officially open the Monash University Biorepository in Melbourne.

May 2015

The ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank, an ASPREE sub-study, stores baseline blood and urine samples from 12,220 ASPREE participants.

Samples are stored in the newly constructed Monash Biorepository.

June 2017

The intervention period of the ASPREE Clinical Trial closes. 

All participants return study tablets for a final count by members of the ASPREE team. Most continue in the follow-up study, ASPREE-XT (eXTension).

September 2018

ASPREE results are published in 3 separate papers in the New England Journal of Medicine and announced world-wide.

ASPREE advises participants and their GPs of the findings and notifies them of their assigned (aspirin or placebo) study tablet.

May 2019

The Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) awards ASPREE the ‘Clinical Trial of the Year‘ for its significance to the healthcare of older adults.

ASPREE Executive Officer, A/Prof Robyn Woods accepted the award on behalf of the team of ASPREE researchers and support staff.

June 2019

ASPREE Principal Investigator, Prof John McNeil accepts the Alfred Research Alliance ‘Highest Impact Factor for Publications‘ award.

In 2018, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine took the unusual step of publishing 3 separate papers of ASPREE findings at the same time.

August 2019

The US National Institute of Aging (NIA) funds the follow-up ASPREE-XT study in Australia and the USA until 2024.

Page updated: 1 March 2021

About the ASPREE Project