Solanezumab is being used experimentally in an attempt to slow memory loss and cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients. — Click to Tweet.
Introduced by Eli Lilly & Co., the drug has been effective in slowing the ailment by about thirty percent. Solanezumab works by attaching itself to a toxic protein called beta-amyloid, which builds up Alzheimer’s patients brains.
However, Rachel Doody, head of Alzheimer’s disease research at Baylor College of Medicine, says that the benefit is so small and inconsistent that the drug may not even make it to market.
But she thinks the findings may be a step in the right direction. Even if solanezumab doesn’t pass, the study does show that targeting beta-amyloid may be an effective method of combating the effects of Alzheimer’s.
Fighting Back Against Alzheimer’s
About 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, and that number is expected to continue to climb.
While there are a number of drugs that address some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, solanezumab is the first to show any sort of progress in combating the underlying cause. But there are still a number of setbacks the drug needs to overcome; when the drugs was tested on more than 2,050 patients across 16 countries, some experienced rashes, malaise, and angina.
Despite these side effects, the results look promising. When the drug is given to Alzheimer’s sufferers in the early stages of the disease, patients showed a 34% reduction in memory loss and other mental symptoms.
Despite the fact that Eli Lilly & Co. have yet to meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss the steps that need to be taken in order for the drug to gain approval, the company is enthusiastic for the future of the drug. However, analysts are saying that however promising the showings may be for solanezumab, the improvements may not be enough to gain regulatory clearance.
Other Drugs To Combat Alzheimer’s
Solanezumab is not the first Alzheimer’s drug that has attempted to improve memory or mental functions. In fact, Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson recently tested a drug of their own, known as bapineuzumab, but reported that the findings were less than stellar, and the testing of the drug was discontinued.
While solanezumab may not find its way to your local pharmacy, it does represent a step in the right direction for memory-loss prevention in Alzheimer’s patients. Companies hope that someday, perhaps very soon, drugs will be able to help those that suffer from Alzheimer’s to retain their memory.
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