Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Targets Gum Disease Bacteria

Cortexyme, a U.S.-based firm, has developed an experimental treatment that shows promising signs for the future care of Alzheimer's disease, reports New Scientist . The treatment presupposes that Alzheimer's may be caused by bacteria that creates gum disease migrating into the brain and causing inflammation — a stark departure from the traditional theory that Alzheimer's is caused by a build-up of toxic amyloid plaques in the brain. Trial participants in Cortexyme's experimental treatment took an oral drug called COR388 that is designed to block the toxins released by the bacteria. After four weeks, the participants had lower levels of an inflammation called RANTES in their blood as well as lower levels of their protein ApoE in the spinal fluid. Cortexyme is launching an expanded program to test more than 500 people with Alzheimer's. Until that study concludes in two years, the results are not "enough to get excited about, but they are enough to say that this hypothesis is interesting," said Carol Routledge, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK.