Australian research company Prana Biotechnology has revealed successful interim results of its Alzheimer's drug PBT-1, Iodochlorhydroxyquin at the 7th International Geneva/Springfield Symposium on Advances in Alzheimer Therapy in Geneva, Switzerland.
The findings were presented by Professor Colin Masters, chairman of Prana's Scientific Advisory Board.
In the randomised double blind study of 32 patients, half were treated with the Prana drug and half with placebo.
The study found that the Alzheimer's amyloid protein, which was the target of the drug's activity, was significantly reduced in the blood of patients in the treatment group compared to an increase in the placebo group.
It was also shown that the progression of the disease was slowed down in the more severely affected patients in the treatment group compared to the placebo group. The initial findings of the study indicate the rate ofcognitive deterioration, as measured by the ADAS-Cog assessment scale, was slowed in these patients.
Professor Masters said the trial had achieved target benchmarks: "These results are extremely encouraging as a proof of concept of the amyloid theory of Alzheimer's disease."
He added: "Based on thesafety and efficacy findings of this pilot study, we will structure additionalclinical trials to move the drug toward commercialisation."
Full results are to be published in a scientific journal at a later date.