(Source: OHSU) - Study results indicate that bapineuzumab, a drug designed to remove amyloid plaques from the brain, appears to help some patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
"We saw significant slowing in the rate of mental decline and brain atrophy among a specific group of Alzheimer's patients who received the drug Bapineuzumab compared with patients who received the placebo," said Dr. Joseph Quinn. "We don't have drugs that slow the progression of the disease right now and this has the potential to do that. This could be valuable for people in the very early stages of Alzheimer's."
Bapineuzumab is an antibody that binds to and eliminates abnormal forms of beta amyloid that are believed to cause Alzheimer's. Beta amyloid is a component of "plaques," which are seen in the brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's. The result of the recent Phase 2 clinical trials may also support the hypothesis that amyloid plaques are a culprit in causing the disease, Quinn said.
People who are interested in participating in Phase 3 trials should call the study coordinator at OHSU at 503.494.9399.
Go to full story: ohsu.edu
