Alzheimer’s disease tears individuals and families apart. Watching a loved one decline on account of the disease is can be truly heartbreaking. Making matters is that the disease doesn’t receive the attention it deserves, and medical research has been far too limited in recent decades. But the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease has brought renewed attention to the disease, and promises medical advances may be on the horizon.
New Alzheimer’s treatment drug successful during Phase 2 of trials
A new Alzheimer’s medication, Sumifilam, was found to provide statistically significant improvements in a group of individuals who were given the drug compared to those who were given a placebo. The drug seeks to better balance two proteins in the brain that can become toxic, leading to neurological degeneration. Perhaps most exciting is the fact that this drug focuses on a protein that other medications don’t, one which, when balanced properly, can help dispose of buildups of other toxic proteins. The trial even showed some improvement in cognitive functioning in some participants.
The next steps
The Phase 2 trial of this drug was rather limited in scope, involving only 64 people over the course of about a month. However, now that the drug is entering Phase 3 testing, researches will be able to see how the drug works with a study group of more than 1,000 people who will be monitored for several years. While it might be somewhat disheartening to know that it will still be years before this drug hits the market, if it gets there at all, you should take comfort knowing that there are several other treatments that are being vetted by the FDA and that could be made available sooner.
Watching our for your loved one
Of course, if your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s, then effective treatment can’t come soon enough. If you’ve left your loved one in the care of a nursing home or an assisted living facility, then you need to do everything you can to make sure your loved one is receiving effective and safe treatment. If you have concerns about improper and/or dangerous treatment, then it might be time to speak to an attorney.
