A medicine that eliminates amyloid deposits in the brain refers to the appointment with Alzheimer in people genetically destined to develop it.
A drug that degrades the plaques of beta-amyloid protein in the brain would seem at least postpone The start of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, in people intended to develop early forms of this dementia.
The one just published on Lancet Neurology It is a study that provides new elements to support the amyloid hypothesis, according to which the initial causes of Alzheimer would be found in the accumulation of amyloid plates on nerve cells, and removing these plates could stop cognitive decline in the bud.
Years of life healthy more. The result of the research, conducted by the scientists of the Knight Family Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network-Trials Unit (Dian-Tu), at the School of Medicine of St. Louis of the University of Washington, suggests that early treatments aimed at eliminating amylod plates decades before the insoriest of the symptoms could delay the debut of dementia Alzheimer’s type.
Protective effect. The study involved 73 people destined to get sick of Alzheimer In the decades of their 30, 40 or 50 years for important genetic risk factors. In a subgroup of 22 participants who had no cognitive problems at the beginning of the study and who received the drug for the most prolonged period (8 years on average) the treatment decreased the risk of arising symptoms from a percentage close to 100% to about 50%. In short, he halved the chances of getting sick – although it may be that the appointment with Alzheimer’s was only postponed.
A contribution to research. The study Knight Family Dian-Tu-001 It was launched in 2012 to test the effectiveness of some anti-amyloid drugs in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. All participants were cognitively intact or with a very mild cognitive decline. They were located 15 years earlier to 10 years after the age in which, based on family history, they would have expected their debut of Alzheimer’s disease.
A candidate who made himself stand out. At the end of the trial in 2020, an experimental drug – the Gangennerumabof the Biotech Roche and Gentech companies – had reduced the levels of amyloid in the brain and improved those of some proteins generally connected to Alzheimer’s. However He had not given evidence of cognitive benefitsbecause the group of asymptomatic patients – both those treated with the drug itself both those treated with a placebo – had not yet shown signs of cognitive decline.
Investigate more deeply. These ambiguous results in the group of patients without symptoms have convinced scientists a launch an extension of the study aimed at all participants, containing a genetic mutation that determines a high risk of alzheimer in early form.
The aim of the study was to evaluate If the Gangennerumab in high doses could prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
A stap in the running. All participants received the drug, so an internal control group was not present. However, the data were compared with those of another observational study to this affiliate, in which the subjects had not received any medicines. In the middle of 2023, the study was interrupted for the Roche decision to stop developing the Gangennerumab, which had given disappointing results in another research on patients with the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s. So the extension of the study lasted 2 years and 6 months.
Situation in becoming. The removal of the amyloid plates years before the symptoms seemed to delay the beginning of the symptoms and the progression of dementia, but the results were statistically significant only for the subgroup of patients treated for the longest possible time (in the first study interrupted in 2020 and subsequent extension). In these people, the drug has halved the risk of the appearance of the symptoms. A percentage of effectiveness that could vary over time, because some of these people they could develop symptoms later And others could remain without symptoms even longer than the estimated debut age.
Side effects. During the extension trial, the rate of a side effect connected to anti-amyloid drugs, the Imaging anomalies related to Amiloid (air)which involve edemas and potential cerebral hemorrhages, a third higher than that of the original clinical trial seemed (30% against 19% initial), probably due to the highest drug dosage. Two participants developed the air of such a gravity to justify the exit from the study, and then they recovered. There have been no situations at risk of life or deaths.
Hopes to be explored. Even if the Gangennerumab is no longer being developed, there are other anti-amyloid drugs, such as lecanemab, which can be used for future studies. The orphaned patients of the first drug in the extension study have completed the study with the lecanemab, but the data of this second phase have not yet been analyzed. Now it will be necessary to understand not only as long as this possible protective effect lastsbut also If the same can be worth for the non -early forms of Alzheimerthe majority of which is not determined genetically and does not appear, by saying, so predictable.
