From Alzheimer’s to Zebrafish: Eclectic Science and Regulatory Stories 172
Final Thoughts
New research is focusing on clearing amyloid fragments from the brain. Scientists have
known that a gene (ApoE) acts to degrade such proteins and the search is on to find
a drug that can switch on this gene. One such drug, bexarotene, used for skin cancer,
has this property. When it was fed to mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, it quickly
improved their cognitive, social and olfactory functions. It, of course, is a long way from
being an approved Alzheimer’s drug,17 but this has not stopped patients and their families
from clamoring for it.18
References
1. Querfurth HW, LaFerla FM. “Alzheimer’s disease.” N Eng J Med. 2010 362(4):329–44.
2. Alzheimer A. “Uber eine eigenartige Erkrankung der Hirnrinde.” Allgemeine Zeitschrift fur Psychiatrie und
Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin. 1907 64:146–8.
3. Kraepelin E. Psychiatrie: Ein Lehrbuch fur Studierence und Arzte. Leipzig: Barth, 1910 593–632.
4. Mauer K et al. “Auguste D and Alzheimer’s disease.” Lancet. 1997 1546–49.
5. Hirtz D et al. “How common are the ‘common’ neurological disorders.” Neurology. 2007 68:326–37.
6. Hebert LE et al. “Alzheimer disease in the US population: prevalence estimates using the 2000 census.” Arch
Neurol. 2003 60:1119–22.
7. Burns A, Iliffe S. Alzheimer’s disease. BMJ. 2009 5 February 338:b158. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b158.
8. Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health website. http://www.nia.nih.gov/print/
alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet. Accessed 4 February 2012.
9. Alzheimer’s Association. 2011 Facts and Figures.
10. Liu L et al. “Trans-synaptic spread of tau pathology in vivo.” PLoS ONE. 2012 7(2):e31302.
11. Op cit 8.
12. Op cit 1.
13. Ibid.
14. Op cit 8.
15. SNM press release. Society of Nuclear Medicine website. http://interactive.snm.org/index.
cfm?PageID=2601&RPID=627. Accessed 15 February 2012.
16. Small GW et al. “Prediction of cognitive decline by positron emission tomography of brain amyloid and tau.”
Arch Neurology. 2012 69(2):215–222.
17. Naik G. “New attack on Alzheimer’s.” Wall Street Journal. 10 February 2012.
18. Wang SS. “Alzheimer’s families clamoring for drug.” Wall Street Journal.. 11 February 2012.
Published on regulatoryfocus.org, February 2012. Copyright © 2012 Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society.
Final Thoughts
New research is focusing on clearing amyloid fragments from the brain. Scientists have
known that a gene (ApoE) acts to degrade such proteins and the search is on to find
a drug that can switch on this gene. One such drug, bexarotene, used for skin cancer,
has this property. When it was fed to mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, it quickly
improved their cognitive, social and olfactory functions. It, of course, is a long way from
being an approved Alzheimer’s drug,17 but this has not stopped patients and their families
from clamoring for it.18
References
1. Querfurth HW, LaFerla FM. “Alzheimer’s disease.” N Eng J Med. 2010 362(4):329–44.
2. Alzheimer A. “Uber eine eigenartige Erkrankung der Hirnrinde.” Allgemeine Zeitschrift fur Psychiatrie und
Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin. 1907 64:146–8.
3. Kraepelin E. Psychiatrie: Ein Lehrbuch fur Studierence und Arzte. Leipzig: Barth, 1910 593–632.
4. Mauer K et al. “Auguste D and Alzheimer’s disease.” Lancet. 1997 1546–49.
5. Hirtz D et al. “How common are the ‘common’ neurological disorders.” Neurology. 2007 68:326–37.
6. Hebert LE et al. “Alzheimer disease in the US population: prevalence estimates using the 2000 census.” Arch
Neurol. 2003 60:1119–22.
7. Burns A, Iliffe S. Alzheimer’s disease. BMJ. 2009 5 February 338:b158. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b158.
8. Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health website. http://www.nia.nih.gov/print/
alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet. Accessed 4 February 2012.
9. Alzheimer’s Association. 2011 Facts and Figures.
10. Liu L et al. “Trans-synaptic spread of tau pathology in vivo.” PLoS ONE. 2012 7(2):e31302.
11. Op cit 8.
12. Op cit 1.
13. Ibid.
14. Op cit 8.
15. SNM press release. Society of Nuclear Medicine website. http://interactive.snm.org/index.
cfm?PageID=2601&RPID=627. Accessed 15 February 2012.
16. Small GW et al. “Prediction of cognitive decline by positron emission tomography of brain amyloid and tau.”
Arch Neurology. 2012 69(2):215–222.
17. Naik G. “New attack on Alzheimer’s.” Wall Street Journal. 10 February 2012.
18. Wang SS. “Alzheimer’s families clamoring for drug.” Wall Street Journal.. 11 February 2012.
Published on regulatoryfocus.org, February 2012. Copyright © 2012 Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society.