Prana describes potential Alzheimer's treatment at Neuroscience Meeting

On November 7, scientists from Prana Biotechnology Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia) will present data on a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease at the Society for Neuroscience 30th Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Previous research by Ashley Bush and his team at Prana showed that excess zinc and copper in the brain could cause ABeta to accumulate into the lesions found in the brain of the patient suffering from Alzheimer's.

Bush found that the drug known as PBT1, which traps and absorbs copper and zinc, profoundly reduces ABeta accumulation in the brains of transgenic mice. The drug had no adverse side effects and, on a general behavioral rating scale, the PBT1-treated mice actually performed better after three weeks of treatment than placebo-treated mice. Bush says that this study breaks the previously held dogma that ABeta is deposited only as a consequence of the production of the long form of the protein possessing 42 amino acids. "The dominant target has been to shut down the production of ABeta altogether. Our results show that that approach may be unnecessary," Bush said.

Clinical trials of PBT1 have begun at the University of Melbourne in Australia, where investigators are looking not only to halt the decline that accompanies Alzheimer's, but also to detect improvements in brain function. The trials, sponsored by Prana, have enrolled about 50 patients in a double blind phase 2 design. Patients are all moderately affected by Alzheimer's disease, but still live independently and are able to give informed consent. Results will be not be available for at least 12 months.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Kempler, executive chairman of Prana, at +011-61-396-907-892.

Edited by Angelo DePalma
Managing Editor, Drug Discovery Online and Pharmaceutical Online
Email: adepalma@vertical.net