Will Diabetes Drug Slow Alzheimer's?

A trial has begun to see whether drud used to treat diabetes can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The study will involove 200 patients with memory problems due to early Alzheimer's. Laboratory reserch suggests that the drug liraglutide, reuces brain inflammation, improves the growth of brain cells, and the connections between them. Patients will be recruited in London - Imperial College and King's College and sites in Souhamton, Oxford and Swindon. Those on the trial will receive a daily injection of larilutide or placebo for 12 months. They will have scans and memory tests before and after treatment. It is a decade since the last new treatment for Alzheimer's was introduced and some major drug trials have failed during the recent years. "New drug can take dcsdes to filter through and can cost billions" said Dr Paul Edison, Imperial VCollege London, who is leading the trial. Alzheimer's Society is providing more than 300,000 pounds toward the project, Dr Doug said. This exciting study suggests that one of these drugs can reverse the biological causes of Alzheimer's even in late stages and demonstrates that we are on the right track. "We are now funding a major new trial to bring it closer to a position whre it can be improving the lives of people suffering from dementia." Dementia is already a significant global issue, and cases are predicte to rise from 44 million to 135 million by 2050- a reflection of growing and ageing global population.