For decades, Alzheimer’s research has focused on examining amyloid plaques in the brain and prescribing antibody therapies that clear the plaques to slow cognitive decline in patients. Now, Emory University researchers from Thota Ganesh’s lab are looking at inflammation in the brain – also called neuroinflammation – and how it contributes to cognitive decline. Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration both contribute to cognitive deficits, and the goal of Ganesh’s research is to target neuroinflammation to improve cognitive and memory function.
Unlike antibody therapy, the premise for our grant is to investigate small molecule drugs that can prevent or alleviate the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Our grant from the NIH will bring us one step closer to a cure that could help the 55 million people worldwide who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.”
Thota Ganesh, associate professor of pharmacology and chemical biology at Emory University School of Medicine
So far, research in Ganesh’s lab has found that specific molecules that target EP2 receptors may be beneficial for dampening inflammation in the brain, which could treat early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. With the grant he wants to develop a preclinical drug candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s.
“With this promising new approach, we are moving towards treatments that target inflammation and offer real hope for slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease – as well as other forms of dementia, as inflammation is common in neurodegenerative diseases,” says Allan Levey. , collaborator on this project and founding director of the Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute and the Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “The impact on patients and families can be profound, and we are optimistic that this work will bring us more effective treatments.”
The small molecule drugs will provide long-lasting, durable and complementary treatment options compared to antibody drugs, and also have potential cost benefits and ease of use.
“In the first two years of the grant, we will test the two EP2 antagonists in Alzheimer’s disease models, select the best drug candidate and develop a dosing regimen and therapeutic index,” says Ganesh. “We will then conduct IND studies on a drug candidate for a phase one clinical trial over the next three years.”
Researchers are making progress in understanding the disease and its biomarkers. And focusing on small molecule treatment could be a game changer for the Alzheimer’s therapeutic landscape. Alzheimer’s care costs the US approximately $360 billion per year, which could triple by 2050. With that burden on the healthcare system, it is critical to find small molecule drugs that are not only more effective at treating patients, but also scalable for treating patients. manufacturers.
“We need sustainable treatments, and small molecule drugs can get us there,” says Ganesh. “We expect that by developing these drugs we can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or even completely cure it. That is the ultimate hope for our research.”