Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia remain devastating conditions to both patients and their families, yet Lovestone says he feels more optimistic today than ever before.
Scientists have known for years that the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are filled with a protein called beta amyloid that accumulates in between neurons, which are the cells that send and receive signals from your brain. Yet drugs that target the formation of beta amyloid have so far been unsuccessful at stopping or reversing the disease.
Recently, though, Janssen has focused on a different approach aimed at tau, a protein that accumulates in thread-like “tangles” inside of neurons.
“These tangles can spread from one neuron to the next, killing brain cells,” Lovestone explains. “The compound developed by Janssen is designed to potentially prevent the spread of tau.”
Janssen also recently began an early clinical trial of an anti-tau vaccine, which could be given to patients even in extremely early stages of the disease, before symptoms have begun.
“The progress that we’ve made in the past few years has been enormous,” he says. “We have a much better understanding about how Alzheimer’s develops, which genes and other risk factors are driving the disease, and how it progresses. While there is still much to do, we are preparing for a future in which Alzheimer’s is a treatable—and even preventable—disease.”
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constitute personal advice. Always discuss medical conditions and related matters with your doctor.
Ref: https://www.jnj.com/innovation/
