14 DAY TRIAL // UK-based medical organization MAC Clinical Research hopes to very soon debut a new series of clinical trials intended to test a new drug designed to limit Alzheimer's-related damage to nerve cells.
The drug, developed by a team of scientists at Lancaster University, is expected to treat mild symptoms of memory loss in people diagnosed with said neurodegenerative disease.
Should the drug prove effective in these trials and should it pass all the regulatory hurdles that come with trying to market new medication, the next step would be to make it available to the general public.
How the drug works
Past studies have shown that Alzheimer's correlates with the formation of plaques in the brain. These plaques are formed by a protein dubbed beta-amyloid, and in time, they damage nerve cells. Besides, they cause inflammation.
These abnormalities are believed to be the reason Alzheimer's patients find themselves experiencing memory loss and confusion, researchers explain.
The drug developed by the Lancaster University team and that MAC Clinical Research wants to put to the test is designed to limit the formation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain and the inflammation that comes with them.
So far, the drug's ability to prevent beta-amyloid plaques from forming has only been demonstrated in laboratory tests. Hopefully, the trials MAC Clinical Research wants to debut will show that it also works on actual patients.
“Trials in people are an essential step in the development of any new drug so it’s really positive to see this promising research being taken forward,” specialist James Pickett with the Alzheimer's Society said in a statement.
The drug is not a cure
It might be that this new drug can help control the buildup of plaques in the brain and consequently address Alzheimer's-related symptoms. However, this does not make it a cure for this disease.
Rather, the drug must be viewed as a treatment that can put a leash on the progression of Alzheimer's and make it possible for patients to enjoy more normal years.
Thus, the drug is expected to prevent severe damage to the brain and limit the memory loss associated with the neurodegenerative disease to just a few temporary lapses.
“Preventing Alzheimer's disease progression remains a critical unmet need for millions of people worldwide,” explained Steve Higham, chief operating officer of MAC Clinical Research.