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The first oral drug shown to combat Alzheimer’s causing proteins in patients
A research study on Nilotinib, an FDA-approved drug which is used to treat Leukemia, has demonstrated effectiveness in lowering levels of CNS Amyloid Protein in volunteers with Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid Protein
Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the buildup of two proteins in the brain–Amyloid and Tau. While everyone has these proteins, they are present in higher levels in people with Alzheimer’s. These proteins accumulate in the brain and eventually kill brain cells.
The Study
This study was led by Dr Raymond Scott Turner, Neurologist at Re:Cognition Health in Fairfax, Virginia, and Professor of Neurology and Director of the Memory Disorders program at MedStar Georgetown University Medical Center. The Phase 2, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on volunteers with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s.
For more information on what Phase 2 of a Clinical Trial is, click here.
The study tested the tolerability, safety, and efficacy of Nilotinib in 37 trial volunteers. The drug appeared to be safe and well-tolerated in trial participants; it also demonstrated that it could slow the accumulation of Amyloid Protein. The promising results from this study support the need for a larger, longer, multi-center study.