Making headway on Alzheimer's

People in Sioux Falls with Alzheimer's disease might benefit from a clinical trial of the drug known as bapineuzumab.

The Avera Research Institute in Sioux Falls is one of more than 100 sites across the country participating in the Phase III drug trial, and the organization is looking for additional patients to sign up.

It's the final stage before the drug could be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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"The study shows a lot of promise," said Dr. Matt Malone, an Avera McKennan geriatric psychologist involved with the clinical trial.

Clinical trials of new medications are never guaranteed to help patients, but it's encouraging that area residents with Alzheimer's can contribute to drug studies, said Jane Aspaas, executive director of the South Dakota chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

"We learn from every single study and make continuous progress that way," Aspaas said.

A reason to hope

More than 5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's, and 25 million have it worldwide, according to the Alzheimer's Association. That number is expected to quadruple in the next 40 years.

In South Dakota, about 17,000 people have Alzheimer's, and that numbers is projected to grow to at least 20,000 in coming years. The state is particularly affected because South Dakota has a high percentage of older people, who are more susceptible to the disease.

"All of us should think about maintaining our brain and doing what we can to lower our risk factors," Aspaas said. "What's good for your heart and lungs ... is good for your brain."

Bob Jones of Sioux Falls hopes the drug trial makes a difference against the disease he was diagnosed with three years ago.

Jones, 81, signed up for the study in March and has been returning every three months to receive either the drug or a placebo. He's able to keep taking his current Alzheimer's medications as well.

Jones joked that he hoped the trial would extend his life somewhat.

"I'd like to be a Methuselah, but I don't think that's possible," he said, referring to the Biblical figure who lived to be almost 1,000 years old.

"I hope he's getting the drug," said Jones' wife, Pat. "But even if he's not, I would hope it would help people in the future."

Trial results thus far are mixed, however. The results for a small Phase II trial of bapineuzumab - released last week by Ireland-based Elan Pharmaceuticals, which makes the drug, and its American partner, Wyeth - indicate some patients showed a slight benefit from the drug while others didn't.

Dr. Ronald Petersen, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, told Dow Jones Newswires recently that he can't tell yet if the drug is effective, "but (the drug companies) learned some important information going forward about both the possible efficacy and safety."

New type of drug

Alzheimer's occurs when sticky proteins collect in the brain, forming plaques and tangles. It's thought that the plaques and tangles block communication among nerve cells and progressively destroy brain tissue.

Bapineuzumab works differently than other Alzheimer's drugs on the market. It's an antibody - a type of protein usually produced by the body's white blood cells that destroys other substances in the body.

Researchers think that the drug can attach to the harmful proteins that result in plaques and help the body remove them, which could stop the harmful effects of Alzheimer's, Malone said. Current drugs such as Namenda and Aricept work by slowing the progress of the disease.

"This is a completely different mechanism" from other drugs that treat Alzheimer's, he said.

Sixteen people are enrolled in the study now, and enrollment is open through December. A total of 1,250 people in the U.S. and Canada are expected to enroll in the study, which is a randomized outpatient trial, according to Elan.

"If it's beneficial, you get it sooner than anyone else does," Malone said of the trial participants.

The drug does carry with it some potentially harmful side effects, including swelling of the brain. Previous studies have indicated that it tends to occur more often in people who carry the Alzheimer's gene.

Argus Leader wire services contributed to this report. Reach Megan Myers at 331-2257.