2-PMAP Compound Could Be Foundation Of Alzheimer's Prevention Drug
A research team led by Dr. Martin J. Sadowski of New York University’s Langone Medical Center has identified a new compound which researchers believe could be the foundation of a new Alzheimer’s prevention drug. The compound is called 2-PMAP, and in animal studies, the drug lowered the levels of amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer’s by 50 percent or more.
Sadowski’s team tested 2-PMAP on mice and found that the drug was non-toxic and that it helped to prevent Alzheimer’s by removing potentially damaging proteins. 2-PMAP was found to move efficiently from the bloodstream to the brain without needing any complex modifications, something that is different from other drugs treating neurologic conditions. It is also safer than other compounds, as Sadowski noted that the research team was looking for a drug that could be used safely over a long period of time. Based on the results of the animal study, the researchers are hoping for a similar result in human trials, though it is still too difficult to predict considering treatment successes in animals don’t necessarily mean there will be success in human trials.
Sadowski said that it is difficult to imagine stopping or reversing Alzheimer’s once the disease takes hold, but he noted that preventing the disease is possible. “The key is to prevent the disease process from going that far,” he said. “What we want in an Alzheimer's preventive is a drug that modestly lowers amyloid beta and is also safe for long-term use. Statin drugs that lower cholesterol appear to have those properties and have made a big impact in preventing coronary artery disease. That's essentially what many of us envision for the future of Alzheimer's medicine.”
Alzheimer’s currently affects more than 5 million Americans, making it the most common form of dementia. Researchers predict that the number of Americans afflicted by the disease will triple by 2050 if preventative measures are not developed.
The results of the research team’s study were published in the June 3 edition of the Annals of Neurology journal.