February 15, 2017

Today’s Top Alzheimer’s News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A February 15, 2017 Exome article reported that Merck has halted its EPOCH study early because its pill, verubecestat, was not helping people with significant Alzheimer’s symptoms, and there was “virtually no chance of finding a positive clinical effect.” The study had aimed to treat people well into the course of the disease (“mild to moderate” AD), and verubecestat was meant to be a preventative measure. Merck will continue to test verubecestat in a separate study (APECS) of prodromal patients, who have memory loss but can still live relatively normal lives. Because AD progresses so slowly, researchers are searching for an underlying biological signal to show a drug is working. “A third of people with amyloid in their brains don’t get Alzheimer’s,” said George Vradenburg, Chairman, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “You can demonstrate a positive change in amyloid, but it’s not necessarily established that you’d have a positive clinical benefit.” Also covered by CNN and Bloomberg News.

MUST READS

A February 13, 2017 iNews article reported that researchers at the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Bristol, in collaboration with academics from India, France and the Czech Republic, have figured-out how to boost the connections in the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for memory and emotions), revealing a potential new treatment for brain diseases such as dementia and epilepsy. “This is an extremely exciting discovery and something that could potentially impact the global population. It could lead to new drugs that could help to cure the devastating consequences of dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Milos Petrovic, University of Central Lancashire. The study was published in the scientific journal, Nature Neuroscience.

INDUSTRY UPDATES

A February 13, 2017 BioCentury article reported that Axovant will begin a Phase III trial of nelotanserin this year. Based on interim data from 11 patients, they will expand the Phase II study, treating Lewy body dementia, and complete it by mid-year. Nelotanserin is an inverse agonist of the serotonin (5-HT2A) receptor.

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A February 15, 2017 The Pitt News article reported that a new test detecting the ratio of tau in the blood stream may help determine whether someone’s learning and memory abilities are in danger of diminishing. This test could become a diagnostic tool for patients with Alzheimer’s — making it easier to identify the disease early on. In a recent study, researchers at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Pitt University, Oscar Lopez and James Becker (collaborating with researchers from the University of Chile), found higher ratios of abnormal tau levels in Alzheimer’s patients (compared to the control group). These higher ratios are associated with lower brain volume in areas important for learning and memory. Although AD research has a long way to go, the Center has always focused on the people and not the disease. “The Center has always been at the forefront of patient-oriented research,” Becker said. “I see that continuing.”

CAREGIVER CORNER

A February 13, 2017 WTTW segment (and accompanying article) interviewed Barbara Finder, who leads a wealth management team for Morgan Stanley in Chicago, specializing in helping people maintain financial independence in retirement, and Dr. Sanford Finkel, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry (specializing in geriatric psychiatry), University of Chicago Medical School, about the realities of managing care and financial affairs of a loved one with diminished mental capacity. “It’s very painful for a family to acknowledge that their parents are declining and are not behaving as they used to. There’s a certain amount of denial that takes place in many families and sometimes that creates tension,” said Dr. Finkel. Finder notes that 60% of family caretakers use some of their own funds to cover the cost of care. “Advance planning is just something I can’t stress enough,” she said. “If we can we do a cash-flow analysis and we are building into it the increased cost of healthcare. We try to encourage our clients to save so that whether it’s a healthy retirement or not they have options.”

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Join UsAgainstAlzheimer's on March 8th for the first ever UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Congressional Dinner honoring Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) for their tireless work on behalf of the more than 5 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease. The evening will include remarks from the Senators, as well as George Vradenburg, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Co-Founder. The dinner will take place at Charlie Palmer’s Steak with a stunning view of the Capitol and will begin at 6:30pm. Attire is business. Tickets are $500 per person and sponsorship opportunities are available.