USA2 SPOTLIGHT

An April 11, 2019 The Hill opinion piece by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Chairman George Vradenburg focused on accelerating treatment and cures for Alzheimer’s disease. Early diagnosis is key to promoting brain healthy habits which can help delay the onset of symptoms. According to Vradenburg, “We have learned a great deal in recent years about Alzheimer’s disease. Most notably, cognitive decline is no longer an inevitability of aging… More than one-third of dementia cases may be preventable through proactive actions taken to promote brain health across the lifespan and build cognitive resilience.”

An April 10, 2019 post on Senator Bob Menendez’s site highlighted the reintroduction of the CHANGE Act, bipartisian legislation to encourage early assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. “No family deserves to go through the pain of watching their mother or father falter due to this horrible disease, but early diagnosis and assistance properly can make that daunting task just a little less overwhelming,” said Menendez. According to UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Chairman George Vradenburg, “I thank this bipartisan group of legislators for their commitment and leadership in accelerating a cure for Alzheimer’s… We look forward to working with these legislators and their colleagues to advance the CHANGE Act through Congress and into law.”

MUST WATCH

An April 11, 2019 WBIR NBC 10 News broadcast video spotlighted Kim Campbell, wife of the late, great Glen Campbell, who died from Alzheimer’s disease. Kim spoke fondly about the family’s experience touring and filming a documentary, after Glen’s diagnosis. “It was a beautiful time for us as a family because our three children were in his band, and we got to celebrate his life while he was with us. And we had a blast and we made a lot of good memories. And he got to continue doing what he loved with the people that he loved.”

BRAIN HEALTH

An April 11, 2019 Reader’s Digest article looked at eight sleep habits that could raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. All nighters, untreated sleep apnea, sleep medications and poor sleep quality all made the list.

CLINICAL TRIAL SPOTLIGHT

An April 11, 2019 Fierce Biotech article reported that Seattle-based Athira Pharma (formerly M3 Biotechnology) is focusing on regenerative therapies for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. The company is launching the first human trial of NDX-1017, which aims to restore lost neural connections in the brain, or spur new growth, in people with Alzheimer’s disease, another dementia or MCI, and will launch phase II later this year. “Throughout our development efforts, we are maintaining a constant awareness of the individuals we hope to positively impact with our treatments. We believe we need to work together to implement trials that are people-focused and strive to make treatments that are impactful and accessible,” said company lead Leen Kawas.

According to an April 10, 2019 Alzheimer’s News Today article, a phase I clinical trial has begun in Australia for SM07883, a compound to protect against cognitive decline by reducing amyloid beta, tau protein and brain inflammation, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The drug is an oral small-molecule inhibitor that selectively targets and inhibits the protein DYRK1A, whose levels correlate with disease severity. Increased DYRK1A levels are linked to both amyloid and tau, two major hallmarks of AD.