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by Yael Li-Ron Reminyl is an Alzheimer's drug derived from the bulbs of the daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus. It received FDA approval in February. It is believed that neurons producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine degenerate in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. This loss of acetylcholine has been correlated with decreased cognitive function (thinking, remembering and reasoning). Reminyl works to increase the concentration of acetylcholine by blocking the action of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis (breakdown) of acetylcholine. Reminyl was developed by the Janssen Research Foundation under a co-development and licensing agreement with UK-based Shire Pharmaceuticals. The drug will be marketed by Janssen Pharmaceutica and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical in the U.S. In trials ranging from 12 to 26 weeks, the effectiveness of Reminyl was measured using two primary tools. Subjects' abilities in terms of memory, orientation, reasoning and language were assessed using the cognitive portion of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog). Across all trials, results showed that more subjects taking Reminyl showed significant improvement in their cognitive performance than subjects taking a placebo. (us.janssen.com) As of July, the experimental drug AN-1792 appears to be well tolerated for human use and is in phase II clinical trial. Developed by Elan (www.elancorp.com), AN-1792 is a synthetic form of the 42 amino acid beta amyloid peptide. It is hypothesized that immunization with AN-1792 can prevent or reverse the development of extensive amyloid plaque formation, neuritic dystrophy, synaptic loss and gliosis. For more information on Alzheimer's disease call the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or visit its web site at www.alz.org. Formerly a mainland hypochondriac, writer Yael Li-Ron (www.tipx.com) enjoys great health since she moved to Hawaii. Her interest in medical research, and genetic engineering in particular, started a few years ago when a close friend was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
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