Experimental Drug Shows Promise in Delaying Alzheimer’s Symptoms

An experimental drug could potentially delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms in people genetically destined to develop the disease at a young age, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine reported this week.

The findings, published in The Lancet Neurology, hint that gantenerumab – an antibody that targets beta-amyloid protein plaques in the brain – might reduce the risk of cognitive decline by up to 50% in patients who received the treatment the longest.

How Gantenerumab Works

For the subset of 22 asymptomatic patients who received gantenerumab the longest – averaging about eight years of treatment – the apparent reduction in risk was most pronounced. The study adds to a growing body of evidence supporting early intervention strategies in Alzheimer’s pathology and highlights the importance of preventative approaches in populations with dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease (DIAD), but researchers warned that such a small sample size means these results, while promising, require further confirmation.

The drug works by targeting beta-amyloid, one of two proteins thought to drive Alzheimer’s progression. In affected brains, misfolded versions of this protein accumulate into plaques that damage brain tissue. Gantenerumab helps break up these plaques and prevents new ones from forming.

Other Studies Show Promise

The gantenerumab approach isn’t the only novel Alzheimer’s treatment making waves. As Decrypt previously reported, Chinese researchers recently published results from an experimental surgical procedure aimed at improving the brain’s waste removal system.

Their study describes a “cervical shunting” operation that connects lymphatic vessels in the neck to veins, creating new pathways to flush out toxic proteins – helping reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s rather than preventing it.

Conclusion

While these findings mark potential progress, they represent early evidence rather than definitive proof that anti-amyloid drugs can prevent Alzheimer’s when administered far enough in advance. The researchers emphasized that confirmation will require larger, longer-term studies specifically designed to test this preventive approach.

FAQs

Q: What is gantenerumab?
A: Gantenerumab is an antibody that targets beta-amyloid protein plaques in the brain.

Q: How does gantenerumab work?
A: The drug helps break up beta-amyloid plaques in the brain and prevents new ones from forming.

Q: What are the potential benefits of gantenerumab?
A: Preliminary results suggest that gantenerumab might reduce the risk of cognitive decline by up to 50% in patients who receive the treatment the longest.

Q: What are the potential risks of gantenerumab?
A: The study notes that nearly 30% of participants developed amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIAs), which are known side effects of anti-amyloid drugs. Two patients experienced severe cases that required stopping treatment, though they eventually recovered.

Q: What does the future hold for gantenerumab?
A: The researchers emphasized that confirmation of these findings will require larger, longer-term studies specifically designed to test this preventive approach.