Study: Reminyl May Slow or Halt Progression of Alzheimer's

Long-term therapy with the drug Reminyl® (galantamine hydrobromide) may slow or even stop the progression of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers found that the drug slowed progression of the disease by up to 60 percent when used continuously for 48 months. More than 12 percent of patients who used the drug did not suffer any deterioration in their condition.

While the remaining patients showed varying degrees of deterioration, the researchers concluded that it was less than would be expected in an untreated Alzheimer's disease population.

Reported May 22 at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Francisco, the study is the largest long-term study of its kind with 240 patients.

Reminyl is thought to inhibit an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a key role in memory and learning.

Other sources: Janssen Pharmaceutica Products