Posted under Blog on November 6th, 2012 by Editorial Team / No Comments

A pill with the potential to halt the development of Alzheimer’s disease could be available within four years.  Currently being tested by British scientists, the progress of this new drug will be watched with interest by those involved in Alzheimer’s research.

Recently there have been concerns that whilst public interest in Alzheimer’s research has increased, Pharma companies appear to be stepping down their efforts. However, delegates at the recent Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease conference, heard that as well as reducing symptoms, this new drug could potentially prevent Alzheimer’s from developing at all. This has created speculation that, if successful, the drug could one day be prescribed to all adults aged 60-plus regardless of whether symptoms have presented themselves.

Despite being tipped by leading doctors as one to watch, it is important to remember that even the most promising drugs can fail in the final stages of testing. But with dementia affecting over 800,000 Britons and numbers expected to double in a generation, any developments in research are crucial to maintaining the momentum to develop a cure.

Currently, existing drugs delay the progress of Alzheimer’s but fail to tackle the underlying causes in the brain resulting in an effect that quickly wears off. The new drug, known as LMTX, works differently by dissolving the ‘tangles’ of protein that are a hallmark of the disease and spread through the brain like an infection.

Even if LMTX simply slows the progression of the disease, rather than completely halting it, the benefits could be huge, possibly allowing people stay at home with their loved ones for longer before the need for institutional care.

Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer’s Research UK charity, praised the efforts of the British scientists but urged others to continue to support research into Alzheimer’s.

Read more http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2225293/Pill-halts-Alzheimers-years.html#ixzz2At6gDleL

Tags: Alzheimer's, Clinical trials on Alzheimer's Disease conference, LMTX