Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has just come up with a medicine that can possibly cure Alzheimer’s disease – or at least those suffering mild symptoms of it.
According to recent studies, Solanezumab has shown great potential in targeting the dreaded disease by eliminating sticky amyloid plaques that form in the brain. Medical professionals in the United Kingdom agreed that the drug is a “huge step forward from the current treatment options.” Richard Morris, a professor of Neuroscience in the University of Edinburgh called the development “significant.”
Initially, the drug was intended to help patients suffering from late stages of the disease but was considered ineffective after several tests. Still, the project earned renewed interest after it has been proven beneficial for those with mild symptoms.
Dr. Doug Brown, head of research for Alzheimer’s Society commented:
“Today’s findings strongly suggested that targeting people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease with these antibody treatments is the best way to slow or stop Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Eric Karran, director of research for Alzheimer’s Research (UK) added:
“The results provide encouraging evidence that solanezumab could indeed be acting on the disease processes that drive Alzheimer’s.”
The test observed 1,322 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease for 3 years and 6 months. Indications showed that those who took the medicine had lesser percentage of mental decline compared to those who had placebo.
Tests are still currently in progress and will continue until 2016 but if successful, the revolutionary product could hit the market at least by 2018. Of course, the company also needs to acquire approval from the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) before they can sell the drug to the public.
With millions of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, we do hope the tests for this drug reaches a successful outcome.
