Researchers are currently getting ready to unveil a new drug that might have the ability to slow down Alzheimer’s disease. The medical world is expecting promising results from studies testing the efficacy of solanezumab to be presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International conference in Washington on Wednesday. The announcement made at the conference will be a landmark moment in the history of the disease’s treatment.
It is believed that treating patients with the drug at an early stage of the condition might help in slowing down Alzheimer’s considerably.
Although this time the results of the trial are expected to be pretty promising, the story has not been the same since the beginning. Trials of the drug failed to show impressive results in 2012.
Alzheimer’s Research UK’s director of research Dr. Eric Karran informed that the drug boasted a significant benefit for individuals suffering from a mild form of the condition. However, he pointed out that he is not at all trying to say that the drug can cure the disease.
Dr. Karran said that research showed that individuals who didn’t receive the drug i.e. individuals who were on placebo experienced deterioration in their condition. According to information provided by him, individuals receiving the drug also experienced worsening of symptoms, but for them the rate of deterioration was 30% slower compared to that of the people on placebo.
When the two groups were checked after 1.5 years, clear difference was noticed between the condition of the people treated by the drug and the people kept on placebo.
Dr. Karran informed that this is the first time ever in history that scientists have witnessed a benefit that appeared to actually modify the Alzheimer’s stricken patient’s condition for better.
Dr. Karran used to work for American pharmaceutical biggie Eli Lilly, the company manufacturing the drug in question.
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When speaking to the media, he said that researchers are still waiting for results of another trial to come, which should be available in 2016. Once that result is out, the drug will have to undergo a few steps for getting regulatory approval.
Next, a discussion will be held with the public funded healthcare system NHS. Based on the conclusions drawn from the discussion, it will be decided whether the drug has a suitable risk-benefit ratio for being available on the NHS.
