Japanese researchers find why Alzheimer's drugs work in the lab but not in patients

(Osaka University) Osaka University scientists found that some potentialγ-secretase inhibitors such as semagacestat, which have been used in large clinical trials that ended in failure, do not function as true inhibitors as originally expected, but rather cause accumulation of toxic intraneuronal Aβ. They proved this by introducing an original method to measure direct intracellular products ofγ-secretase. They commented that the application of their evaluation method may help develop truly effective drugs for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news