Researchers at King’s College London say an experimental drug reduced several early signs of Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse study, according to ScienceDaily.
The drug, called KCL-286, was originally developed for spinal cord injury and has already completed Phase 1 safety and tolerability trials in humans. In the new research, it repaired damaged DNA and lowered inflammation in mice with Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists behind the study said those two processes appear early in the disease and may be important targets for future treatments. KCL-286 works by activating a protein in the retinoic acid pathway, which helps the body process vitamin A.
Researchers noted that the findings are based on an animal model, not people, but said the earlier safety testing could help move future Alzheimer’s research forward more quickly. The team said the drug may offer a broader approach than treatments focused only on amyloid-beta or tau.
