Aussie pill could hold cure for Alzheimer’s
Australian researchers believe a miracle pill being trialled in Perth could hold the cure to the debilitating disease.
A pill being trialled in Western Australia could be the key to unlocking a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and eventually save millions of lives.
The debilitating disease attacks the brain, altering memory and behavioural function.
There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s which is one of the leading causes of death in Australia, and affects about 50 million people across the world.
The miracle pill, called Xanamem, works by targeting and lowering cortisol, the hormone produced in the body when someone is stressed.
Elevated levels of cortisol in the brain can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, which is why researchers are aiming to cut the production of the enzyme in the brain.
Linear’s medical director Lara Hatchuel told 7 News researchers had “high hopes” that Xanamem would aim to improve patient’s cognition as well as the symptoms of the Alzheimer’s disease they are living with.
“We have reason to believe that not only can it reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s, but possibly prevent the effects from occurring in the beginning,” Dr Hatchuel said.
“It has the potential to change the lives of 50 million people across the world, which is absolutely ground breaking.”
Alton Tebbutt, 62, is taking Xanamem every day for 12 weeks and told 7 News he was doing the trial to help his health as well as that of his son, Dylan, who was at risk of developing the disease.
Dylan lives with schizophrenia and his medication has been known to trigger early onset Alzheimer’s.
“There was a little light bulb moment going off in my brain saying ‘You’ve got to do it’,” Mr Tebbutt told 7 News.
The aggressive brain disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for up to 80 per cent of Australia’s 425,000 dementia cases.
“Without a medical breakthrough, the number of people with dementia is expected to be over 1,100,000 by 2056,” a statement by Linear revealed.
Any medication currently available for people living with Alzheimer’s only provides “short term symptomatic treatment”.
“There are no drugs available that can directly treat the disease,” the statement said.
APRIL 9, 2019
https://www.news.com.au/
