Feb 24, 2009 7:22 pm US/Eastern
Boston Docs Study Promising New Alzheimer's Drug
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Massachusetts researchers are looking for patients to test a promising new Alzheimer's drug. Experts believe it could be the first drug to actually slow down the disease.
Irene Courchesne was diagnosed with early symptoms of Alzheimer's three years ago. "Things started to get really funny," Irene said. "I couldn't remember. I used to have to go to court and I couldn't get my stuff correct."
That's why Irene decided to take part in a new clinical trial being done at the Boston University School of Medicine.
Researchers at B.U. are testing a promising new drug which they believe can actually slow down the progression of Alzheimer's, instead of just temporarily treating the symptoms like current treatments.
Dr. Robert Stern, co-director of the
Alzheimer's disease Clinical and Research Program at the B.U. School of Medicine explains, "This new drug has as its goal the ability to suck out the amyloid proteins from the brain which we think is the cause of Alzheimer's and will dramatically alter the course of Alzheimer's disease."
Irene Courchesne, who enrolled in the study in December, says she started to notice improvement in her memory right away and hopes that this drug will offer new hope to other patients.
"We need to give hope for people and their caregivers that there is something that can be done as opposed to watching someone deteriorate before their eyes," said Dr. Stern.
Researchers are looking for healthy adults between 50 and 88 who have been recently diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's to take part in the study. For more information, visit the
B.U. Alzheimer's study web site or call 617-414-1078.
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