Final phase of trial for Parkinson's drug to treat Alzheimer's begins in Japan
KYOTO (Kyodo) -- The final phase of a clinical trial aiming to treat familial Alzheimer's disease using existing medication for Parkinson's disease has been in progress since May, a Japanese research institute involved in the project said Tuesday.
Led by drugmaker Towa Pharmaceutical Co. and Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, the project utilizes induced pluripotent stem cells to identify effective treatments, known as "iPS drug discovery."
The clinical trial being conducted until March 2028 using bromocriptine, a drug used to treat Parkinson's, at several medical institutions including Mie University Hospital aims to enroll 24 patients suffering from familial Alzheimer's disease who carry mutations of a specific gene, with half of them receiving a placebo.
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Medicine can temporarily slow progress of the symptoms but at present there is no treatment to completely cure the disease.
Familial Alzheimer's disease, also known as early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease, is a rare form of the condition generally affecting individuals below the age of 60.
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