Breakthrough new Alzheimer’s drug targets key ‘hot spots’ to eliminate toxic tangles

Breakthrough discovery: Alzheimer’s drug targets key areas to remove toxic tangles.

A major breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease

In the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, a major breakthrough has been made. An international team of researchers has developed a drug, RI-AG03, which has shown positive effects in reducing neuronal degeneration, a key symptom of the disease.

A drug targeting tau proteins

RI-AG03 is a peptide inhibitor, i.e. a protein blocker. It targets two “hot spots” specific on tau proteins, where aggregation, forming long, twisted filaments called fibrils, tends to occur.

“There are two regions of the tau protein that act like a zipper to allow it to aggregate”explains neuroscientist Amritpal Mudher, from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. “For the first time, we have a drug that is effective in inhibiting these two regions. »

Conclusive trials and promising prospects

In tests on fruit flies and human cells, RI-AG03 extended the lifespan of flies by up to 35%. Additionally, its precise design makes it less likely to interact undesirably with other proteins. The drug was produced using computational biology techniques to specifically target the two fibril areas on the tau protein, demonstrating the success of its design.

The next step: testing on mice

RI-AG03 must now be tested in mice and then clinical trials can begin. However, it is important to note that many tau-based therapies have shown positive results in animal models but have failed to provide clinical benefit in humans.

Despite this, researchers remain optimistic. “Our research represents an important step toward creating treatments that can prevent the progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s”says neuroscientist Anthony Aggidis.