Inhibitor For Alzheimer's Discovered

kilpatjr writes "The same researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation credited with the discovery of Memapsin2, an enzyme which causes Alzheimer's disease, have discovered an inhibitor. The drug is still a few years off, but this is a huge step."

I asked a friend of mine who is familiar with Alzheimer's, JimTinklenberg, to comment on this news. He writes:

"It's an exciting prospect, but it's a bit early for the banners to be unfurled. Plaques are indeed the product of rather chaotic breakdown by enzymes such as memapsin, but memapsin is not the only enzyme that can do it. In addition, intracellular NFTs (the tangles referred to) are not formed by the same processes as the amyloid plaques.

"And as we all know, there's a big difference between the theory of something that can halt a disease process and actually developing a safe drug that puts the theory into practice.

"I guess I would consider this news significant. It's not like we have much else to offer Alzheimer's patients in the way of hope."