New Alzheimer’s drug can ‘remove’ harmful proteins linked to the degenerative disease, experts claim

Experts have hailed “significant progress” in the search for a treatment for Alzheimer’s after finding a drug that removes harmful proteins linked to the disease.

One of the main proteins associated with the disease, tau forms “tangles” that can disrupt brain cells and slow the ability to think and remember.

Now, for the first time, researchers have succeeded in lowering the concentration of the protein using a “gene silencing” approach.

The team from University College London studied 46 patients with an average age of 66 who had mild Alzheimer’s disease and elevated tau levels.

Most received three doses of a drug called BIIB080 injected into their nervous system, and the rest received a placebo.

The drug aims to help prevent the production of the protein by “switching off” the gene that codes for it.

The journal Nature Medicine reported that those who took the highest dose had a 50 percent reduction in tau levels in their central nervous system after 24 weeks, with no serious side effects.

DR Susan Kohlhaas, Executive Director of Research and Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “Previous research has shown that the production of a protein called tau in the brain is linked to neurodegeneration and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

“In this early stage study, the researchers used a new approach to find a drug to ‘turn off’ a gene called the MAPT gene, which makes the tau protein.

“It reduced tau levels in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that the drug hit the right target.” The drug was also found to be safe at the doses administered in this small study.

The drug aims to help prevent the production of the protein by “switching off” the gene that codes for it. [File image]

“These early results are promising, but there is much more work to be done. The next steps are to replicate the study in a larger, more diverse population. The good news is that more work is already underway.

“A Phase 2 trial of this drug is currently aiming to enroll 700 people and to replicate this work in this next trial and larger trials will be critical if we are to see this treatment approach reach the clinic.”

“This is an incredibly exciting time in dementia research, as each new discovery brings us closer to new treatments. Research like this shows how important clinical trials are if we really want to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia.

“With more work like this, research will pave the way for a cure.”