Study: Drug That Targets Amyloid Protein Shows Early Promise in Treating Alzheimer's

A drug that targets amyloid protein has shown early promise in a Phase II clinical trial in treating mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Most experts believe that Alzheimer's disease is caused when small peptides called beta-amyloid accumulate in the brain. Such peptides are made at all times during a person's life, but Alzheimer's sufferers seem to have too many of them. The excessive peptides aggregate together to form plaques that cause brain cells to die.

Researchers said the cognitive function in study participants with mild-to-moderate patients on the drug Alzhemed® improved by 59 percent after nine months of treatment.

Officials at Neurochem, the company developing the drug, said the ongoing Phase II trial of the drug should be completed in the first quarter of 2004. A Phase III trial is set to begin in the spring of 2004.

"Alzhemed, by targeting the amyloid protein, has shown promising results in clinical trials as a drug that may favorably influence the disease process," said Dr. Paul S. Aisen, professor of neurology and medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. "Literally millions of patients would stand to gain if the results of Neurochem's Phase III trials are positive."

Other sources: Neurochem