New Evidence On Easing Inflammation Of Brain Cells For Alzheimer's Disease
Article Date: 05 Oct 2012
New research proves the validity of one of the
most promising approaches for combating Alzheimer's disease (AD)
with medicines that treat not just some of the symptoms, but actually stop or
prevent the disease itself, scientists are reporting. The study, in the journal
ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, also identifies a potential new oral drug that
the scientists say could lead the way.
Wenhui Hu and colleagues point out that existing
drugs for AD provide only "minimal" relief of memory loss and other
symptoms, creating an urgent need for new medicines that actually combat the
underlying destruction of brain cells. Research suggests that inflammation of nerve cells in the brain is a key part
of that process. One medicine, Minozac , is in clinical trials. (Note:This was a TTHI product but it is now being developed by Nemaska Lithium Inc. (NMX) . But Hu says
Minozac still has more space to improve its efficacy. So the scientists sifted
through compounds with a molecular architecture similar to Minozac in an effort
to find more active substances.
The report describes success in doing so. They
discovered one compound that appeared especially effective in relieving nerve
inflammation and in improving learning and memory in lab mice widely used in AD
research. "In general, this study not only proves that countering
neuroinflammation is indeed a potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's
disease, but also provides a good lead compound with efficacy comparable to
donepezil [an existing AD medicine] for further oral anti-AD drug discovery and
development," the report states.
