Study shows Alzheimer's drug is safe, effective

NEW YORK, Dec 08 (Reuters Health) - A new treatment for Alzheimer's disease, called galantamine, appears to slow the progression of the neuro-degenerative condition, according to researchers.

Previous reports have suggested that this drug improves intellectual ability and delays the progression of the debilitating mental illness.

In the current study, researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug in 653 patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. About half the group received the medication while the other half received an inactive placebo.

"Galantamine is effective and well tolerated in Alzheimer's disease," according to lead author Gordon K. Wilcock at the Janssen Research Foundation in Beerse, Belgium.

"As galantamine slowed the decline of functional ability, as well as cognition, its effects are likely to be clinically relevant," Wilcock said.
Alzheimer's disease is a devastating disorder with progressive dementia as its hallmark. The disease is characterised by protein plaques and nerve tangles that gradually distort the architecture of the brain. A naturally occurring protein called amyloid has been implicated as a key player in the destructive process.

Galantamine works by inhibiting the production of acetylecholinesterase, which is thought to be linked to the memory loss in Alzheimer's. It also enhances the brain response to acetylcholine, which plays a role in cognition.

"Galantamine has a second mode of action. It increases the release of the chemical messenger acetylcholine as well. It helps the brain cells produce more," Wilcock told Reuters in a telephone interview.
He stressed the drug is not a cure for Alzheimer's, but relieves the symptoms of the illness.
"To halt the disease, you have to stop the brain cells being killed. What these drugs do is they improve the symptoms and make up for the loss of brain cells in other ways," Wilcock added.
Galantamine is marketed under the name Reminyl by Johnson & Johnson's Belgian subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceutica. The drug is a product of Britain's Shire Pharmaceuticals.

One in 10 people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those over 85 years have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago, Illinois. Today, 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. Unless a cure or prevention is found, that number will jump to 14 million by the year 2050. World-wide, it is estimated that 22 million individuals will develop Alzheimer's disease by the year 2025.

Return to News Index Return to Home page