New drug for treatment of Alzheimer found

Written by Dr. H. P. Bustami

Thursday, 03 July 2008

Treatment with the new drug leads to a decline in plaques in treated mice (Figure: Richard Dodel)

A Team of US-American and German scientists showed in a new study that the antiinflammatory drug CNI-1493 can reduce the impact of the Alzheimer disease. In the brain of people suffering from this severe neurological disorder the enzyme amyloid destroys brain tissues. Obviously the newly discovered effect of CNI-1493 is very promising. It stops the enzymes function.

Genetically engineered mice with Alzheimer produce massiv amounts of APP, a precursor form of the harmful enzyme amyloid. These precursor is processed to amyloid which than leads to the plaques. Mice treated with CNI-1493 showed after eight weeks clearly reduced plaques in those regions of the brain in which especially Alzheimer patients are affected: 70% in the cortex and 87% in the hippocampus. Memory function in the treated mice also improved.

The authors of the study suggest that cognitive dysfunctions (the most severe consequences causing the known symptoms of dementia) in brains of alzheimer patients could be significantly reduced by CNI-1493.

Source: Michael Bacher & al. (2008): CNI-1493 inhibits Abeta production, plaque formation, and cognitive deterioration in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. The Journal of Experimental Medicine,

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