'Positivity' for Alzheimer's treatment as new drug approved that slows it down
There has never been 'such positivity' about treatments for Alzheimer's, and big changes will come in just a few months. This is according to Immunologist Luke O'Neill, as a drug that will slow down the disease was recently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Recent studies also suggest that the shingles vaccine may be associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Some research has indicated a 20% lower risk of developing the disease over a seven-year period.
Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror, Professor O'Neill said: 'There was a big conference in Vienna two weeks ago, which I wasn't at but I saw the reports and you've never heard such a positivity.
'It's extremely encouraging was the phrase they were using and as to what's happening with things like Alzheimer's.' The drug approved by the EMA and earlier by the FDA is called Lecanemab.
It works by targeting and removing amyloid-beta proteins from the brain, which are believed to play a key role in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. The immunologist said massive work is underway to identify what people this drug is working for.
He believes in the 'coming months' this will be made more clear. Professor O'Neill continued: 'It's causing great excitement because it's the first drug ever to slow down the disease, as it gets worse and worse as you get older.
'So here we have the first example of something slowing it down. The main thing is to find out who is going to respond, and that's going to happen in the coming months.'
There is currently massive work on this underway, including in Dublin. The PREVENT dementia programme is the world's largest study investigating the origins and early diagnosis of dementia in a mid-life 'at risk' cohort.
It has recruited and deeply phenotyped 700 participants aged 40-59 across the UK and Ireland. AI is also expected to vastly speed up drug trials, as Professor Luke says 'there's no doubt' it will positively impact the pharmaceutical industry.
There are currently 127 drugs being tested for Alzheimer's, as incidence is increasing. In Ireland, the number of people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are expected to double by 2045. However, Professor O'Neill stressed that these drugs are looking very positive, and that lifestyle changes also have a massive impact.
He continued: 'Good news is amazing studies have come out showing that if you to change your lifestyle, you'll decrease your risk of Alzheimer and dementia in general. And you wouldn't believe the data on this is getting stronger and stronger.
'They reckon that 45% of dementia can be prevented by changing your lifestyle. We're talking about the usual things like good diet, exercise, keeping your brain active.'
The immunologist said high cholesterol, loss of hearing and loneliness are also risk factors for the disease. He added: 'These are things we can all do to decrease our risk of getting it, and they are very optimistic.'
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