ProMIS Neurosciences is developing an Alzheimer’s drug designed to clear harmful protein build-up with fewer side effects, and early results suggest the approach may be working.
A Canadian biotech company, ProMIS Neurosciences, is working on a new type of drug aimed at clearing amyloid plaques (clumps of protein that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease) while reducing the risks associated with existing treatments. According to the post by STAT News, early results suggest the company may be making progress.
Current amyloid-clearing drugs approved in the United States have been linked to brain swelling and bleeding as side effects — a concern that has limited their use. ProMIS is attempting to design a treatment that targets only the toxic forms of amyloid, leaving healthy brain tissue alone.
The research is at an early stage. No clinical trial results in human patients have been published, and no UK regulator — including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) — has reviewed or approved the drug.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK, according to the NHS. Around 900,000 people in the UK are currently living with dementia, and that figure will likely rise.
If you or someone you know is worried about memory loss or other symptoms of dementia, contact your GP in the first instance or call NHS 111 for advice.
Source: @statnews