Eureka Alert recently published a statement by a team of researchers that early results of a new method of treating Alzheimer’s have been “absolutely spectacular.”
The new antibody-based therapy and the potential vaccine, which is protein-based, are the collaborative effort of researchers from the Leicester University in the United Kingdom, Germany’s Medical Center in Göttingen, and LifeArc, a research charity.
There is good cause for the researchers to be elated. Over the past decade, approximately two hundred investigational programs to find symptom relief or a cure for Alzheimer’s have failed. The failed clinical trials focused mainly on dissolving amyloid plaques.
The new theory, rather than continuing to focus on plaques containing amyloid beta protein, used the vaccine and antibody to target a specific soluble type of the protein.
Details of the study have been published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Amyloid Beta Protein Molecules May be the Key
A large majority of amyloid beta proteins join together, forming plaques. Many of these molecules become truncated (shortened). A number of scientists now believe that these shortened forms are associated with the development as well as the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Bayer, at the Göttingen Medical Center, explained that after observing the molecules’ side effects, the team made a decision to use an alternative approach.
The scientists discovered an antibody in the mice that neutralize the shortened forms of amyloid beta which did not bind to the plaques or the protein in its normal form.
Then Dr. Bakrania of LifeArc modified this antibody to the extent that the human immune system would no longer attack it as if it were a foreign invader. The ‘humanized’ antibody is called TAP01 04.
The scientists were eager to track the binding of TAP01 4. They observed that it binds to the shortened amyloid beta which folded into a hairpin structure.
According to Professor Carr, this was the first time anyone had observed a ‘hairpin’ structure in amyloid beta. The researchers opined that they could use this new discovery to develop a vaccine that would activate the immune system and develop TAP01 4 antibodies.
The new ‘vaccine’ was tested in mice. The scientists found that the vaccine produced TAP01 4 antibodies. Professor Carr was pleased to announce that these early tests stopped the progression of the disease in mice completely.
The Göttingen Group
The Göttingen team used two mouse models to test the TAPAS, which is the engineered amyloid beta vaccine. They also tested the ‘humanized’ antibody using methods similar to the techniques used to detect Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Dr. Bakrania at LifeArc emphasized that the TAPAS vaccine and the humanized antibody are unlike other Alzheimer’s vaccines or antibodies as they focus on another type of protein.
The tests showed that the TAPAS vaccine and the humanized antibody helped in restoring memory loss and neuron function. Glucose metabolism was increased in the brain. An unanticipated result was the reduction in the formation of amyloid beta plaque.
Looking Forward
Based on the positive results, scientists are hoping to eventually be able to vaccinate people before the appearance of symptoms. Their next step is to team with a commercial partner in conducting clinical trials.
