A Miracle Drug

I am not one to normally sing praises to any drug. Many drugs have untoward side effects, and at a gut level, I’m uncomfortable with idea of developing new compounds in the laboratory to address our health issues. I like the idea of using ingredients and solutions that are derivative from more natural environments. And I’m a big fan of prevention where possible. That being said, last month I heard about a drug that made me do more than sit up and take note. As you can see, I’ve been inspired to write a blog about it.

The drug is alemtuzumab. It is normally prescribed for leukemia, and it targets CD52 (a receptor on lymphocytes). In a phase II clinical trail for multiple sclerosis (MS), it actually reversed disability normally caused by the disease. In this trial 111 people received the standard treatment (Interferon beta-1a), and 223 received alemtuzumab. Those who received the drug had a 74% reduced risk of relapse, and a 71% reduction in what would otherwise be a progressive path of disability. The most striking finding is that while the disability score of patients who took Interferon beta-1a increased (the higher the score, the more disabled), the disability score of the patients who took alemtuzumab went down! Brain volumes increased for those with the drug, and decreased for those with Interferon beta-1a, and those with alemtuzumab had less brain inflammation.

The quote from Dr. Alasdair Cole, a co-author on the study is “This is unprecedented”. I agree. It’s not only significant for the field of MS, but I can’t think of one drug for any neurodegenerative disease that has shown such a powerful and clear cut effect. Neurodegenerative diseases by definition are diseases where over time, one’s brain slowly degenerates. It’s always accompanied by increases in inflammation, oxidative stress and often times there are deposits such as plaques. Then there are the functional losses. Over my decade of research in Alzheimer’s disease, I’ve never once believed that there would be a drug that could not only slow down the disability, but that would restore abilities. While I’m still skeptical that there maybe one for Alzheimer’s disease, the results of the alemtuzumab trial are loosening my once firmly held convictions.

For more information:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081022211030.htm

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/359/17/1786?rss=1&query=current

Written by Tina L. Huang, Ph.D. on December 15th, 2008 with no comments.
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