New Alzheimer's Drug Shows Promise

An anonymous reader writes "The Herald Sun is reporting that researchers may have some progress to report on the Alzheimer's front. A new drug, called PBT2, was developed by a Melbourne-based biotech firm that has been showing some promising results. From the article: 'Early clinical testing has confirmed the drug is fast-acting. Levels of amyloid dropped by 60 per cent within 24 hours of a single dose. It found also that PBT2 suppresses the impairment of memory function. More human studies begin in Sweden next month and Australians will join a major international trial of the drug next year.'"

Comments

animal data not clinical trials?

[simong_oz]

From the article: 'Early clinical testing has confirmed the drug is fast-acting. Levels of amyloid dropped by 60 per cent within 24 hours of a single dose. It found also that PBT2 suppresses the impairment of memory function.

The article seems to be wrong - press releases on the Prana Biotechnology website indicate these results are from studies in mice.

More human studies begin in Sweden next month and Australians will join a major international trial of the drug next year.

If the data is from mice, then the above clinical trial is presumably a phase I clinical trial, which is designed to show safety and not efficacy. It could be a while before human data is available.

Of course, none of this will stop investors believing the article ;-)

Re:Major news for nursing homes

[montyzooooma]

I was going to write that I didn't think Alzheimer's affected that big a proportion of the elderly but then I actually googled the numbers and apparently it affects 10% of the over 65s and 50% of the over 85s (found here: http://www.alz.org/maintainyourbrain/overview.asp )

Those are actually pretty serious numbers and far higher than I thought.