An experimental medicine has shown promise in preventing Alzheimer’s for people with a higher risk of developing the disease.
According to a new study by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where researchers have a clinical test with people with rare Genetic mutations That almost “guarantees” the future development of Alzheimer’s, according to a press release.
The study included 73 people in the thirty, 40 and 50 who have the mutation, which causes an overproduction of amyloid in the brain.
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Amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brain and can interfere with the cognitive function, is one of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s.
An experimental medicine has shown promise in preventing Alzheimer’s for people with a higher risk of developing the disease. (Istock)
All participants had no (or very mild) cognitive decline, had one Family history of Alzheimer’sAnd were within 15 years to 10 years after their expected age of developing symptoms, the issue stated.
For 22 of the participants who received a drug called Gantenerumab for eight years, their risk of developing symptoms was halved – from 100% to 50% – the researchers reported.
“What we do know is that it is possible to at least postpone the beginning of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and to give people more years of a healthy life.”
“There was no effect in those who have only treated treatment for two to three years,” said senior author Randall J. Bateman, MD, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distingughed Professor or Neurology at Washu Medicine, to Fox News Digital.
The findings were published in the magazine The Lancet Neurology on March 19.
For 22 of the participants who received a drug called Gantenerumab for eight years, their risk of developing symptoms was halved – from 100% to 50% – the researchers reported. (Istock)
Gantenerumab, a monoclonal antibody that is designed to focus and remove amyloid plaques in the brain, was under development through Roche in Switzerland and his American branch, Genentech.
However, the development was stopped in 2023, after Roche/Genentech that clinical examinations Discovered that the drug did not meet their “primary end point” for delaying cognitive decline in people with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, according to the release.
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“Everyone in this study was destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease and some of them not yet,” said Bateman in the release.
“We don’t know how long they stay symptom-free for a few years or perhaps decades. To give them the best chance of staying cognitively normal, we have continued with another anti-amyloid antibody in the hope that they will never develop symptoms at all,” he went on.
The hope is that if the tests of Alzheimer’s have similar results in the late start, prevention methods can ultimately be available to the general population, according to the researchers. (Istock)
“What we do know is that it is possible to at least postpone the beginning of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and to give people more years Healthy living. “
The hope is that if the tests of Alzheimer’s have comparable results in the late start, prevention methods can ultimately be available to the general population, according to Bateman.
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“I am now very optimistic, because this could be the first clinical proof of what prevention will be for people who are at risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. “One day we can postpone the start of Alzheimer’s disease for millions.”
Howard Fillit, MD, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation in New York, noted that the study first demonstrated that early treatment to erase the plaques before the symptoms arise, the start of Alzheimer can delay “comparable to other chronic and prevent.”
Although Gantenerumab is no longer developed, researchers evaluate other anti-amyloid drugs-such as inhibition network, which is made by Eli Lilly to determine whether they can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (Istock)
“We have entered into a new era of Alzheimer’s research where we can not only adjust the course of the disease, but where prevention is possible with therapeutic intervention“Fillit, who was not involved in the study, said Fox News Digital.
Possible limitations and risks
There were several main restrictions for the research, Bateman told Fox News Digital.
The number of people was limited because of the rarity of Alzheimer’s disease caused by mutations, the use of external checks and the fact that the study started with lower doses, he said.
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“Many of the participants are still cognitively normal and almost or beyond their expected age of the start, even after more than eight years of treatment, so the effects can be bigger or smaller with continuous treatment and follow-up,” Bateman noted.
The researchers noticed that anti-amyloid drugs As Gantenerumab has been shown to cause amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (Aria).
Amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brain and can interfere with the cognitive function, is one of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s. (Istock)
These appear on brain scans such as “Small spots of blood in the brain or localized swelling of the brain“The release said.
The majority of these side effects do not cause symptoms and disappear without treatment, but in rare cases Aria can cause serious medical problems or even be fatal.
This most recent study showed that 30% of the participants experienced Aria, probably because of the higher doses of the medicine.
Although two participants had to stop using Gantenerumab due to severe aria, there were no “life -threatening side effects and no deaths,” the researchers noted.
“In general, the Gantenerumab safety profile in the extension was comparable to that in the original test and in other clinical tests of Gantenerumab,” they said.
Need more research, experts agree
Dr. Chris Vercammen, a board-certified internal medical doctor who specializes in Geriatrics and palliative caresaid that although these first findings are ‘encouraging’, more research is needed into the effects of these medicines.
“Large, randomized studies, including various populations and people with Late Alzheimer’s, are needed to validate these early results and determine the full potential of these treatments,” said Vercammen, who is also medical director at Rescomnaly in California, to Fox News Digital. (He was not involved in the new study.)
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“It is important to note that the design of this study is aimed at high-risk individuals in the pre-clinical phase and therefore does not contain sufficient data about the impact of these drugs at the later phase Alzheimer’s.”
Fillit added that this new investigation opens the door for further exploration of the treatment of pre -clinical Alzheimer’s.
Anti-amyloid drugs such as Gantenerumab have been shown to cause amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (aria) that appear on brain scans as “small spots of blood in the brain or localized swelling of the brain”. (Istock)
“We look forward to seeing the longitudinal data and further studies on this approach,” he said Fox News Digital.
“These efforts take us one step closer to our ultimate goal of Disease Before it starts. “
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Although Gantenerumab is no longer developed, researchers evaluate other anti-amyloid drugs-such as inhibition network, which is made by Eli Lilly to determine whether they can prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
“These efforts take us one step closer to our ultimate goal of preventing the disease before it starts.”
“These rare families with mutations may want to participate in current tests,” Bateman told Fox News Digital.
“The older general population may be interested in knowing that there are Current tests In people with amyloid plaques to test this approach to determine whether the symptoms of Alzheimer’s can be prevented. “
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The study was mainly funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, GHR Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Fox News Digital reached for Roche/Genentech for comment.
