Monoclonal Antibodies With Focused Ultrasound May Slow Alzheimer Disease Progression
A promising clinical study in the treatment of Alzheimer disease leveraged focused ultrasound (FUS) technology to open the blood-brain barrier with delivery of a systemic monoclonal antibody infusion, enhancing the removal of cerebral beta-amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer disease. This innovative treatment approach shows promise in enhancing targeted drug delivery in Alzheimer disease and other neurological conditions.
The study, conducted with WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) and reported in the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, presents encouraging benefits for Alzheimer disease patients. Researchers at RNI collaborated with Insightec, a manufacturer of FUS technology.
"Focused ultrasound provides a new opportunity for Insightec collaborations with drug companies to improve drug delivery to the brain," says Maurice R. Ferré, MD, Insightec's CEO and chairman of the board. "Only 1-2% of drugs can cross the blood-brain barrier, making progress difficult and patient safety challenging when using large systemic drug concentrations. The ability to disrupt the blood-brain barrier to effectively deliver treatment demonstrates the power and potential of using focused ultrasound technology when addressing complex neurological conditions."
"The results from this proof-of-concept study are encouraging and chart a path forward to improve drug delivery in combating Alzheimer disease," said Ali Rezai, MD, executive chair of RNI. "Our long-time close collaboration with Insightec has helped accelerate advances in treatment of patients with Alzheimer disease and other neurological diseases."
Alzheimer disease is a condition that affects 6.7 million Americans today –and promising new therapies are emerging to address this unmet medical need. This latest breakthrough discovery opens up new avenues for research and provides renewed hope for patients and their loved ones. As research progresses, it is anticipated that this treatment approach will continue to evolve and refine, paving the way for even more effective treatments.