Diabetes Drug Pioglitazone May Also Treat Alzheimer's Disease

Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics on July 18, 2006

Researchers from the University of Virginia Health System and Case Western Reserve University have found out that pioglitazone HCl, a drug designed to treat diabetes may also hold potential in treating, or at least reducing the progression of, Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The preliminary findings were presented during the ongoing Alzheimer's conference in Spain.

"We don't know exactly how pioglitazone works in Alzheimer's, but there are two possibilities," Geldmacher said. "It could be that the drug reduces the body's response to the amyloid protein found in Alzheimer's. Or, it could be that this drug helps brain cells function. The real advantage is that it's a completely novel approach to treating the disease."

The researchers are now planning a more extensive trial with 200 to 300 Alzheimer's patients to verify the effectiveness of pioglitazone in treating AD. Pioglitazone is commercially available under the trade name Actos, and is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, who funded the study above.

Read more from the UVHS News.