EnClear Therapies: Working to Filter Cerebrospinal Fluid

Older people have a lot of metabolic waste in their cerebrospinal fluid, of which the amyloid-β associated with Alzheimer's disease is probably of greatest interest at the present time. It is an interesting question as to why this increase over time occurs, particularly considering the point that the presence of amyloid-β and other molecules is dynamic, a constant process of creation and destruction. A number of groups, such as Leucadia Therapeutics, make the case for failure of mechanical systems of drainage by which cerebrospinal fluid leaves the brain. Without that drainage to act as a sink for metabolic waste, the waste accumulates. EnClear Therapies is a company pursuing a path analogous to that of Leucadia Therapeutics, but instead of restoring drainage they seek to filter cerebrospinal fluid. Increasingly sophisticated filtration of blood for various purposes is fairly common, albeit expensive. The challenge with cerebrospinal fluid is that it is locked away inside the spine and skull. If a suitable mechanical approach could be assembled to safely and reliably access and filter cerebrospinal fluid on a regular basis, which sounds like a tough job, then there are all sorts of things that might be built upon that foundation. While the company is not initially focused on removal of amyloid-β, that is a possibility for the future, given success. Overall, I'd say that this is a most interesting approach: a worse strategy than restoration of drainage in the...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs