Breakthrough could lead to ‘superior new drugs’ for Alzheimer’s patients, researchers say

Researcher is ‘very hopeful’ findings could ‘lead to new treatment options’, Zoe Tidman reports

Researchers hope breakthrough will advance future treatment of Alzheimer’s (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research could help advance the development of “superior new drugs” that improve memory and cognitive function in patients, scientists say.

While there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the NHS says there are some drugs available that can help to “temporarily improve some symptoms”.

But researchers at the University of Glasgow said current treatments are “often not very effective” or are linked to side effects that could hamper effectiveness.

The scientists said they have made a breakthrough discovery while working with biotechnology company Sosei-Heptares, which could help to improve drugs for Alzheimer’s disease.

The research- published in the journal Cell - describes the process of designing a new molecule to target a specific receptor protein in the brain, which plays a central role in memory and cognition.

It shows - through laboratory and human clinical studies - how this approach has the potential to “create superior new drugs to improve cognitive function” in Alzheimer’s patients, the University of Glasgow said as it announced its findings.

“This is a true bench-to-bedside discovery, many years in the making,” Professor Andrew Tobin from the university said.

The professor in molecular pharmacology said researchers were “thrilled” their study had “resulted in a highly sophisticated drug design approach that offers huge potential to improve the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, by activating memory and cognitive centres within the brain”.

He added: “We are extremely encouraged by our findings so far and are very hopeful that this could lead to new treatment options for patients with this devastating disease.”

Last summer, the first Alzheimer’s drug was approved in the US in two decades. The medicine, aducanumab, has not yet been approached for use in the UK.

The World Health Organisation estimates 30 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s around the world.

In the UK, half a million people are thought to be living with Alzheimer’s, a progressive neurological disease that is the most common cause of dementia.