A new study from the University of Exeter has found that three existing medications could be repurposed to help treat or even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
This exciting research was published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy.
The study reviewed 80 already-approved drugs to find out which ones might help people with Alzheimer’s. The review was carried out by an international panel of 21 experts, including scientists, doctors, people from the pharmaceutical industry, and individuals affected by dementia.
After several rounds of review and discussion, the team picked three top drugs that showed the most promise. These drugs were chosen because they target biological processes involved in Alzheimer’s, have shown good results in laboratory and animal studies, and are safe for older adults to use.
The three drugs are:
- The shingles vaccine (Zostavax): This vaccine was found to be the most promising option. Research suggests there may be a link between the shingles virus and dementia. Since the immune system plays a role in Alzheimer’s, and the vaccine affects how the immune system works, it may help protect against the disease.
The vaccine is already used widely and has a strong safety record. Some studies even show people who got the vaccine were 16% less likely to develop dementia.
- Sildenafil (Viagra): This drug is known to increase blood flow, and in animal studies, it protected brain cells and helped reduce the build-up of a harmful protein called tau. It also improved memory and thinking in mice.
- Riluzole: This drug is normally used to treat motor neuron disease. In animal studies, it improved brain function and lowered levels of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s.
The researchers now recommend testing these drugs in clinical trials with people to see if they can really help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease. Of the three, the shingles vaccine stands out as the best candidate for a large clinical trial in the UK, especially since it only requires one or two doses.
This approach to finding treatments is called drug repurposing. It means using medicines that are already approved for one disease to treat another. This method is faster, safer, and cheaper than creating brand-new drugs from scratch—which can take over a decade and cost billions of pounds.
Five other drugs were also considered but didn’t meet the full criteria to be top candidates. These included medicines used for multiple sclerosis, depression, leukemia, and anesthesia.
Professor Anne Corbett, the lead researcher, said that beating dementia will require exploring every possible research path. Drug repurposing is a key part of this effort because it allows us to turn today’s medicines into tomorrow’s treatments for other conditions.
She also stressed that while these three drugs are promising, more testing is needed before they can be used to treat Alzheimer’s. Clinical trials will help confirm whether they are effective.
Fiona Carragher from the Alzheimer’s Society added that research is the way to beat dementia. She pointed out that many years ago, aspirin went from being just a painkiller to becoming a drug that helps prevent heart attacks. The same kind of change is now hoped for in the fight against dementia.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about the protective power of dietary antioxidants against Alzheimer’s, and eating habits linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms, and Vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
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