In recent years, studies with many drugs and therapeutic approaches against Alzheimer’s dementia are disappointing. Now a glimmer of hope shows up for those Affected: In a clinical study of Nilotinib &ndash reduced; a substance that is used against certain leukemia forms – the deposition of defective proteins in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.

Since it was observed in animal experiments that Nilotinib inhibited the deposition of such proteins, but also their degradation is promoted, has been tested the active ingredient of 37 Alzheimer’s disease patients in a clinical study of Phase II: they were given a year in addition to their normal therapy Nilotinib. This led to the fact that even after six months in the brain scans, significant improvements were visible. After twelve months, the brain volume in the Hippocampus for the memory of important had decreased, compared to the placebo group was 27 percent less. In Tests for the mental capacity of the people from the Nilotinib from the sections group also tends to be better. Due to the low number of participants, this difference would not be enough statistically to prove efficacy.

In the study, the researchers used two doses. At the higher (300 mg), there was frequent side effects were mostly due to mood swings noticeable. Serious side effects, such as occur in cancer patients, still remained, because the Alzheimer’s patients for a maximum of one-half of the amount of revenue, which is resistant to tumors is common.

Professor Dr. Richard Dodel, Geriatrician and neurologist at the University of Duisburg-Essen, evaluates the results as a great success: "This relatively small study has first and foremost the safety, tolerability, and effects of Nilotinib on Alzheimer’s biomarkers investigated – and the successful. The study had few patients and was not designed to enable a course assessment of dementia. Nevertheless, we hope that the positive Trend in terms of the cognitive Tests in the future, in large clinical trials to confirm."

ZOU