Scottish researchers claim benefits from new Alzheimer’s drug

Alzheimer’s researchers from Scotlandannounced on Tuesday that for the first time they have developed a drugthat can halt cognitive decline in patients with mild and moderateAlzheimer’s disease.  In the largest Phase II clinical trial of itskind, study author Claude Wischik, professor at the University ofAberdeen in the U.K. and executive chairman of TauRx Therapeutics, saidthat TauRx’s drug methylthioninium chloride (MTC) was successful athalting the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease over a 50-week period. Hepresented his findings at the International Conference on Alzheimer’sDisease meeting in Chicago.  Previous research has shown that a buildup ofabnormal nerve fibers in the brain, made up of a protein called tau, islinked to memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease. Rember, the brand name ofthe drug, had been successful at melting tau tangles in lab tests andin animal studies, but this is the first time an anti-tau drug hasdemonstrated benefits in people with Alzheimer’s disease.