Alzheimer’s disease - A growing threat to our society
On January 25, 2006, the MorphoSys partner Roche has filed all
necessary applications to commence a European Phase 1 clinical trial
with a HuCAL-derived antibody to treat Alzheimer’s disease. An
international study has shown that Alzheimer’s disease costs US$
130-150 billion worldwide, and is consequently one of the greatest
burdens on our health system. Currently available therapies range from
being inadequate to ineffective.
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the greatest threats facing aging
industrial societies. Estimates suggest that around one million people
in Germany alone are living with this form of dementia. In the U.S.A.,
this figure is close to five million. There is currently no cure for
Alzheimer’s, only the possibility of slowing its progression. In 2005,
the memantine class of drugs currently used for treatment of
Alzheimer’s generated revenues of around US$ 660 million and this
category of treatment alone is forecast to achieve a market volume of
US$ 1 billion over the next few years. However, memantine drugs have
poor selectivity in their mode of action, so their use is associated
with severe side-effects.
They can therefore be administered only in small doses, which limits
the benefits of the treatment. The antibody identified during the
collaboration with Roche attacks the abnormal build-ups of the amyloid
beta protein in the cerebral tissue that are characteristic of
Alzheimer’s disease. The international Alzheimer’s research community
has identified the breakdown of these deposits as a promising starting
point for treatment. Removal of the amyloid beta deposits has been
linked to improved cognitive functioning.
For more information please visit www.roche-trials.com
The HuCAL antibody was designed to enter the brain tissue and bind to abnormal build-ups of the amyloid beta protein
