Will New Drug Cure Alzheimer's Disease?

The FDA has approved testing for a new drug called Caprospinol, which researchers say may reverse the effects of Alzheimer's Disease. According to a Newswise.com press release, Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, who is an adviser to Samaritan Pharmaceuticals recently published a paper detailing his discovery that spirostenols might be effective in reversing the effects that Alzheimer's causes in the brain. Papadopulos did this study, working with Georgetown University and the study revealed that one molecule did actually reverse the Alzheimer's caused damage. The molecule is called Caprospinol. It is believed to work by preventing beta-amyloid plaque from forming.

According to the press release, Dr Papadopoulos, a scientist at the McGill University Health Center, has done a new study, which actually tested the conclusion of the first study using animal models. In the study, rats were first caused to have brain cell changes such as Alzheimer's Disease produces. The rats did lose their ability to function and had other characteristic signs of Alzheimer's. They were then treated with Caprospinol and tested against the control rats. Dr. Papadopoulos' work shows that the animal models who had Alzheimer's brain cell changes actually scored better on the behavioral tests after they were treated with the new drug than did the control animals who had normal brain cells. The changes in the brain were either reversed or improved and the function and memory was as good as or better than the function and memory of the control animals.

The medications that are now on the market for Alzheimer's Disease have not been effective in changing the course of the disease. At best, they only delay the normal progression by a few months and have numerous side effects. There have been no drugs introduced that treated the cause of Alzheimer's Disease. All of the medications, so far, have only been somewhat successful in treating the symptoms.

Caprospinol, which is a steroid, was discovered by examining the structure of cholesterol. Inside beta-amyloid peptides, molecules are believed to combine and cause the plaque that is responsible for Alzheimer's Disease. Caprospinol is thought to bind with the molecules and prevent them from entering the part of the cell (mitochondria) that is the power source.

Researchers are very hopeful that the results will be positive, since there were no adverse findings in the experiments using animals. They do not expect to find any toxic effect on the body or any reason why Alzheimer patients could not take this medication along with other medications they are already taking. Samaritan Pharmaceuticals will begin Phase I testing for safety on humans in the 2^nd quarter of 2008.

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Newswise.com #535325 New Drug May Restore Memory with Alzheimer's Disease