Aussie Alzheimer's breakthrough
August 4, 2005 - 7:29PM
A drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease could be available in less than five years after a world-first discovery by Australian researchers.
The research team, led by neuroimmunologist Dr Gilles Guillemin of the University of NSW, has discovered a toxin that plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.
The toxin, called quinolinic acid, kills nerve cells in the brain, leading to dysfunction and ultimately death.
More than 200,000 people have Alzheimer's disease in Australia and the figure is expected to rise to 730,000 by 2050.
Professor Bruce Brew, director of neurology at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, said if the production or effect of quinolinic acid could be blocked then it could slow the disease's progression.
"We're not saying that quinolinic acid is the cause of Alzheimer's disease ... we're saying it's a player in the causation," Prof Brew told reporters.
It could trigger the disease or amplify the damage, he said.
Quinolinic acid is part of a biochemical pathway called the kynurenine pathway, which is also found in other major brain disorders including Huntington's disease and schizophrenia.
Prof Brew said there were several drugs in the advanced stage of development for other conditions which targeted this pathway.
These drugs, which would need to be tested, could be used to complement other treatments for Alzheimer's.
Prof Brew said he could only speculate on the effect of the drugs, but expected it to be positive.
"These drugs have been designed to fight some aspects of the pathway, the biochemical pathway which produces the acid, and also designed to fight a mechanism of how this toxin causes cell death," Prof Brew said.
"Building on what we've found and others have found, it's likely that they would have significant effect.
He said it was likely to be some years before the drug would be available, adding: "but it's not the scenario where you have to develop a drug from scratch and you look at five or 10 years."
At present, there are only minimally effective treatments for the disease, which is increasing with the ageing population.
The study is a result of a collaboration between researchers from St Vincent's Hospital, UNSW, the University of Sydney and Hokkaido University, Japan.
Link Here
A drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease could be available in less than five years after a world-first discovery by Australian researchers.
The research team, led by neuroimmunologist Dr Gilles Guillemin of the University of NSW, has discovered a toxin that plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.
The toxin, called quinolinic acid, kills nerve cells in the brain, leading to dysfunction and ultimately death.
More than 200,000 people have Alzheimer's disease in Australia and the figure is expected to rise to 730,000 by 2050.
Professor Bruce Brew, director of neurology at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, said if the production or effect of quinolinic acid could be blocked then it could slow the disease's progression.
"We're not saying that quinolinic acid is the cause of Alzheimer's disease ... we're saying it's a player in the causation," Prof Brew told reporters.
It could trigger the disease or amplify the damage, he said.
Quinolinic acid is part of a biochemical pathway called the kynurenine pathway, which is also found in other major brain disorders including Huntington's disease and schizophrenia.
Prof Brew said there were several drugs in the advanced stage of development for other conditions which targeted this pathway.
These drugs, which would need to be tested, could be used to complement other treatments for Alzheimer's.
Prof Brew said he could only speculate on the effect of the drugs, but expected it to be positive.
"These drugs have been designed to fight some aspects of the pathway, the biochemical pathway which produces the acid, and also designed to fight a mechanism of how this toxin causes cell death," Prof Brew said.
"Building on what we've found and others have found, it's likely that they would have significant effect.
He said it was likely to be some years before the drug would be available, adding: "but it's not the scenario where you have to develop a drug from scratch and you look at five or 10 years."
At present, there are only minimally effective treatments for the disease, which is increasing with the ageing population.
The study is a result of a collaboration between researchers from St Vincent's Hospital, UNSW, the University of Sydney and Hokkaido University, Japan.
Link Here
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 7:28 AM
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