News

The buildup of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain is not sufficient on its own to cause the death of neurons in Alzheimer’s disease, suggests a new study that challenges current views on how the disease progresses. Researchers have widely believed that beta-amyloid drives nerve cell death in Alzheimer’s, but these…

Drinking alcohol, especially in excess, may hinder the brain’s natural ability to clear itself of amyloid beta protein plaques, the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease, a study in rat cells implies. “Our results … suggest that alcohol consumption may represent a risk factor for development of amyloid burden,” the researchers wrote.

The Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) and Immuneering have formed a partnership to identify new therapy targets and candidates for Alzheimer’s disease. DDF will invest $1.3 million to use Immuneering’s proprietary computational drug discovery platform and analyze available public data of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Immuneering researchers use those…

A tailored lighting intervention in nursing homes can improve sleep, mood, and behavior in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study’s preliminary results. The study, “Tailored Lighting Intervention For Alzheimer’s Patients And Its Effects On Sleep, Mood And Agitation,” was presented at SLEEP 2018, the 32nd joint…

ProMIS Neurosciences announced plans to initiate the development of its lead antibody candidate, PMN310, as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The investigational therapy is expected to enter clinical Phase 1 trials in 2019. PMN310 is a humanized antibody that attacks only toxic forms of the amyloid beta protein linked to Alzheimer’s, not its…

COR388, Cortexyme‘s investigational compound to treat Alzheimer’s, was safe and well-tolerated in healthy volunteers taking part in a Phase 1 clinical trial, the company announced. COR388 is a first-in-class bacterial protease inhibitor designed to target a specific bacteria that has been identified in both the brain tissue and cerebrospinal…

Sokhey announced it recently launched Swann VR, the world’s first virtual reality memory training device specifically designed for people with Alzheimer’s disease. The company, and product, were created by Taegh Sokhey, a Northwestern University student planning to start medical school. “Patients now have an effective tool that they can…

Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca announced that they are stopping two global Phase 3 trials of lanabecestat, an amyloid beta-targeting treatment candidate for Alzheimer’s, because of an apparent lack of benefit. Safety was not of concern in either trial. The decision follows recommendations by an independent data monitoring…

The Boston Red Sox hosted Cure Alzheimer’s Fund at a recent baseball game against the Detroit Tigers to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and bring attention to the nonprofit group’s support for research into new treatments and ways of preventing or curing this disease. The event included a ceremony…

Treatment with the investigational compound elenbecestat reduced brain amyloid beta levels and was safe and well-tolerated, according to Phase 2 clinical trial results. The presence of amyloid beta plaques is a major characteristic of the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Amyloid beta is produced through the work of a key…