Experimental drug slows the deterioration of Alzheimer's disease

An experimental drug slowed the progression of neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer's, as shown in a small clinical trial in USA. This is the donanemab monoclonal antibody of the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which made the relevant announcement. The antibody binds to the plates of the toxic beta-amyloid protein in the brain and makes them disappear.

The results of the trial have not yet been published in a scientific journal. However, if they prove to be accurate and confirmed by other scientists, it will be the first time that a drug for this disease has shown positive results in phase 2 clinical trials, according to Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology Lon Snyder of University of Southern California.

‘Other experimental Alzheimer's drugs had not been tested in phase 2, being tested directly in more patients in phase 3, where they repeatedly showed disappointing results, according to the «New York Times». The new study was done in 272 patients with mild to moderate symptoms, some of whom received the drug every four weeks.

Patients who were treated experienced an average slowing of their symptom worsening of 32%, compared to those who had taken placebo (placebo). Within six to 12 months, the beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of patients in the first group had disappeared and did not reappear, said the company's lead scientist Dr. Daniel Skovronsky.

For «important news that offer hope to patients and their families», said the Dr. Michael Weiner of the University of California, San Francisco, a leading Alzheimer's researcher, stressed that the clinical trial needs to be repeated by other scientists and more data needs to be collected. Eli Lilly has assured that it will provide more data on the new treatment and its trial, both in communications and in a scientific publication.

Several scientists have argued that Alzheimer's disease is caused by the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain and therefore if there was a way to prevent this from happening, the disease would be prevented or even cured. Pharmaceutical companies have so far spent billions of dollars testing anti-β-amyloid drugs, but to no avail, which has raised many doubts as to whether it is correct that this protein is indeed the «culprit».

The Eli Lilly trial, which appears to confirm the amyloid «culprit», focused on patients who showed significant amyloid build-up in their brains on imaging scans. Before and after the trial of the new drug, participants were given cognitive and memory tests and were assessed on how well they did in daily activities such as dressing and cooking.

The main side effect of the treatment was fluid accumulation in the brain, which occurred in 30% of patients. New results from the ongoing clinical trial are expected in 2023.

Eli Lilly, said Dr Skovronsky, intends to ask the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulatory authorities in other countries to allow the new medicine to be made available to patients.