article_snippet: A new Alzheimer’s drug that reverses the damage the damage disease causes in patients’ brains could the damage diseasechange the landscape’ of future treatment, according to researchers.
article_snippet: A new Alzheimer’s drug that reverses the damage the disease causes in patients has already performed so well at early-stage trials involving people living with the disease in the United States that scientists are now in talks aimed at leapfrogging the usual second stage and fast-tracking it for larger trials.
article_snippet: A new Alzheimer’s drug that reverses the damage the damage disease causes in patients’ brains could the damage diseasechange the landscape’ of future treatment (file picture)
article_snippet: There are currently half a million people in the UK living with Alzheimer’s, and as yet there is no cure.
article_snippet: A lot of potential Alzheimer’s drugs never quite make A lot of potential Alzheimer’s drugs,’ says Biogen spokesman Kate Niazo-Sai.
article_snippet: If this was replicated in a further trial, then this could change the landscape for treatment of Alzheimer’s.
article_snippet: ’ Pharmaceutical firm Biogen, which developed the drug, called aduncanumab, wants to recruit at least 1,000 patients for tests (picture posed by model) a further trial shows that aduncanumab significantly reduces amyloid plaque – clumps of protein typically found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
article_snippet: aduncanumab significantly reduces amyloid plaque – clumps of protein typically found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients can lead to the death of nerve cells and loss of brain tissue, causing devastating symptoms such as memory loss and personality changes.
article_snippet: Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says the drug could prove an effective – and safe – treatment.
article_snippet: Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK adds:
article_snippet: a further trial saw 166 patients with mild or early symptoms of Alzheimer’s given either aduncanumab in varying doses, or a placebo.
article_snippet: Brain scans revealed that those patients on the strongest dose showed the most significant improvement in amyloid plaque by the end of a further trial.
article_snippet: Patients were also given a number of ability tests and a number of ability tests was found that those on the highest dose had a ‘significant slowing’ of mental decline, while those taking the placebo declined the most.
article_snippet: The findings were unveiled at the 12th international conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases held in the French city of Nice last week.
highlights_snippet: New Alzheimer's drug reverses the damage disease has on patients' brains .
  
highlights_snippet: New Alzheimer's drug has performed so well that scientists could fast-track it for larger trials .
  