Magdalena Kegel,  —

Canada’s IntelGenx has launched a Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial to explore whether the old asthma medication montelukast may be an option for treating Alzheimer’s disease. The idea that montelukast — also used to treat hay fever — may succeed where other approaches have failed, stems from research at Austria’s Paracelsus…

Two research teams have independently discovered that a cognition-related gene behaves like a virus in the nervous system — passing on its genetic material between neurons. While scientists are still working to understand the “why” of their discovery, they are in agreement that the mechanism has widespread implications, as it appears…

Proteins in nerve cell synapses, which transmit signals between neurons, are abnormal in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Swedish researchers concluded after performing a large-scale analysis of synaptic proteins in patients’ brains. By studying these flaws, researchers could distinguish between Alzheimer’s patients and those with…

A group of U.S. researchers hoping to identify already approved medications to repurpose as Alzheimer’s disease treatments has won a $2.8 million, five-year grant from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study will be led by scientists at Ohio’s Case Western…

Another treatment has joined the long list of compounds that have failed to show effectiveness against Alzheimer’s disease. Three Phase 3 clinical trials showed that idalopirdine was unable to improve more than 2,500 patients’ cognition. A Phase 2 trial suggesting that the treatment was effective has led to researchers speculating…

With 2017 behind us, Alzheimer’s News Today looks forward to bringing our readers news and updates on Alzheimer’s disease research discoveries, treatment developments, clinical trials, and events in the year ahead. But as a reminder of all the great work being done to find treatments and improve the lives…

TauRx Therapeutics’ experimental Alzheimer’s disease treatment LMTX may slow cognitive decline in patients at doses as low as 4 mg — but only when used without other Alzheimer’s drugs — a recent report shows. The findings support data from an earlier Phase 3 trial, which also studied much higher doses…

Anavex Life Sciences has published a study demonstrating the sigma-1 receptor’s role in Alzheimer’s disease. The data contained in it supports the New York-based company’s development of compounds stimulating this receptor as a way of treating the illness. The study, “Sigma-1 Receptor Agonists Induce Oxidative Stress…

Billionaire Bill Gates is joining efforts to develop new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Gates made the announcement in a recent blog post in which he outlined five areas where more research focus is needed. As a first step toward his commitment, Gates is investing $50 million in the…

Anavex Life Sciences says its Alzheimer’s drug candidate Anavex 2-73 may have a role in treating the disease. Data from a long-term extension trial, although small, indicated that the therapy improved cognitive and functional measures in patients. According to data presented during the recent 10th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s…