UArizona scientists test new drug to fight vascular dementia
UArizona scientists test new drug to fight vascular dementia.
Scientists have developed a new drug candidate that could provide the first-ever treatment for a common form of dementia.
Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are preparing to launch human clinical trials on a peptide designed to protect brain cells from inflammatory damage, officials said.
The drug candidate, known as PNA5, targets vascular dementia.
Vascular dementia occurs when conditions like strokes or diabetes damage blood vessels and starve the brain of oxygen.
According to officials, this triggers persistent inflammation that damages brain tissue and the blood-brain barrier.
PNA5 is designed to cross this barrier, attach to a receptor like a key in a lock, and restore balance to keep the brain healthy.
The research team secured a $9 million, two-year grant from the National Institute on Aging to fund a Phase 1 clinical trial starting later this year.
The trial will test the safety of the drug in 60 healthy volunteers.
The team has already spent more than 15 years developing the peptide, supported by more than $16 million in prior federal funding.