Revolutionary treatment could stop and reverse early-stage Alzheimer’s
Published in Brain/Neurology.
Revolutionary treatment could stop and reverse early-stage Alzheimer’s
These findings suggest that the neuronal dysfunctions caused by Alzheimer’s could potentially be reversed by novel protein drug.
In the battle against Alzheimer’s disease, a team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has made significant strides with a promising new therapeutic approach. They have focused their efforts on a specific target: the amyloid-beta biomolecule.
This molecule is notorious for triggering the hyperactivity of nerve cells, which is a hallmark of the early stages of Alzheimer’s. The team, led by Dr. Benedikt Zott and Prof. Arthur Konnerth from TUM’s School of Medicine and Health, along with Prof. Arne Skerra from TUM’s School of Life Sciences, has developed a protein drug that may suppress the harmful effects of amyloid-beta.
Their groundbreaking study, published in Nature Communications, shows promising results from laboratory experiments conducted on mice. These findings suggest that the neuronal dysfunctions caused by Alzheimer’s could potentially be reversed. The researchers are hopeful that the protein they have developed, known as amyloid-beta-binding anticalin (H1GA), could stop the progression of Alzheimer’s if administered at an early stage.
Globally, around 55 million people are living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common form. Each year, approximately 10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed, a staggering number that underscores the urgent need for effective treatments. Currently, there is no medication that can address the fundamental mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. Treatments available today only manage symptoms, such as declining cognitive function, rather than tackling the disease itself.