Breakthrough studies in Alzheimer's research
Research has shown potential ways to target Alzheimer's disease
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Wednesday, 30, Jul 2008 08:38
Two studies released today have provided promising results for the treatment of dementia.
The first, by researchers at University College London and University of Aberdeen, found that a new drug named Rember is able to tackle the tau proteins that form in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
The study in 321 people also revealed that after 50 weeks of treatment patients given Rember had significantly improved cognitive function, such as memory.
Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, described the research as a "major new development" in the fight against dementia.
"It is the first realistic evidence that a new drug can slow cognition decline in people with Alzheimer's, by targeting the protein tangles that cause brain cell death," he added.
"This first modestly sized trial in humans is potentially exciting. It suggests the drug could be over twice as effective as any treatment that is currently available.
"However we are not there yet. Larger scale trials are now needed to confirm the safety of this drug and establish how far it could benefit the thousands of people living with this devastating disease."
For the second study, published in the Lancet journal, researchers at Imperial College London and Sweden's Uppsala University Hospital tested the effects of the new drug PBT2 in 78 patients.
They found that it significantly reduced toxic clusters of amyloid in the brain and may improve symptoms.
Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, described the study as "encouraging" and said it suggests that "it may be possible to target the small clusters of amyloid that form in the brains of people with dementia".
"A drug that prevents these clusters forming would be a dramatic step forward for dementia research," she commented.
"These small clusters are thought to be the most toxic form of amyloid, rather than the larger plaques that form later. However, we still do not fully understand how the build up of amyloid affects memory processes.
"More robust research is now needed to see if this exciting area of research can produce an effective treatment for this devastating disease."
Both studies were presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago.