A team of doctors at the CU Denver Anschutz Medical Campus are conducting studies on a drug that could be the first in a new class of medications for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
After over 190 other drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease failed in medical trials, a new one is bringing encouraging results – it’s called Leukine. Their hope is that Leukine will be the “silver bullet” to Alzheimer’s disease. It’s been estimated that there will be a 37 percent increase in Alzheimer’s in Colorado between now and 2025, which amounts to enough people to fill Mile High Stadium, according to Jim Herlihy, director of marketing and communication at the Alzheimer’s Association.
A trial is currently being conducted on the safety of Leukine at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and so far it has met its potential.
Dr. Huntington Potter, the director of Alzheimer’s research at CU Anschutz, has said, “We found so far that Leukine is safe with people with Alzheimer’s disease… That means that it doesn’t have the side effects that so many other Alzheimer’s drugs have had, which are swelling in the brain and bleeding into the brain.”
For an Alzheimer’s drug to be successful, it must remove the plaque or amyloid that causes the disease from the outside of nerve cells in the brain. Leukine tested well and was efficient in its study in mice with Alzheimer’s. Two big takeaways from the test: the plaque is being removed quickly and efficiently, and it is being done without causing significant damage.
Other drugs, when targeted to remove amyloid in the brain, sometimes trigger changes in the brain, like causing small hemorrhages or swelling, which results in difficulties in cognitive functioning.
Leukine did not cause any of that damage.
In fact, it seems that it is helping the brain repair itself. That means this may be a drug that not only removes plaques without causing additional damage, but it also helps to repair the brain to restore cognition and clarity of thought that Alzheimer’s robs from its victims. This is a huge breakthrough!
The Alzheimer’s Association is giving Dr. Potter $1 million to begin the next phase of his trials and studies. If the trials are successful, it could get the fast-track for treatment in Alzheimer’s patients, which could be within two years from now. Leukine is also being looked at as a treatment drug for Parkinson’s disease. The treatment might also be very expensive, costing $100,000 a year to treat one individual with Alzheimer’s disease.
Practices to Follow
According to Dr. Jonathan Woodcock, clinical director of CU Hospital’s Memory Disorders Clinic, there are important things that people can do throughout their life for their brain health. Lifestyle choices not only make a difference in the probability that they will get the disease, but also when they will get it. Here are some practices to follow:Exercise
Staying fit is very important when it comes to your overall health and, most importantly, your brain health.
“A little bit of walking around the block isn’t going to do it,” says Dr. Potter. “And that’s what makes intervening with Alzheimer’s disease so difficult.”
Interested in different exercise trends? Check out this list.
Eat Well
A good diet is also crucial. Avoid refined sugars and fill your plate with vegetables and fruits.
Check out these healthy and easy breakfasts you can eat on the go!
Drink Coffee
Your caffeine addiction could be your best friend!
“Three to five cups of coffee a day, in middle age, reduces the risk about 60 percent,” according to Dr. Potter.
Check out these Starbucks drinks you can make at home!
While we patiently wait for a treatment to Alzheimer’s disease, these three things are the best way you can help yourself stay happy and healthy!
