Alzheimer’s disease affects nearly 7 million people in the U.S. and by 2050, that number could reach nearly 13 million. The last few years have seen several new FDA-approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, including monoclonal antibodies such as Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab). Yet many of these new treatments are administered through IV infusion, which require patients to travel to an infusion center every few weeks and can be time-consuming to administer.

A New Alzheimer’s Treatment?

A potential innovative new therapy—a nasal spray—may change that. It could make treating Alzheimer’s easier, more convenient, and more accessible—and could even delay the progression of the disease by several years. That’s according to a recent study out of Texas A&M University College of Medicine, published recently in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.

By targeting cells that cause inflammation in the brain, the nasal spray—derived from stem cells—was found to decrease the inflammation. The nasal spray also reduced the buildup of plaques and proteins that are thought to cause the loss of neurons in the brain that characterize Alzheimer’s disease.

Study Findings

In an animal study, researchers administered the nasal spray to transgenic mice—those that were genetically modified to display the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The mice received two doses of either the treatment or a placebo at one-week intervals. Researchers subjected some of the mice to a series of behavioral tests and analyzed the brains of all the mice.

The study also looked at the effect of the nasal spray on microglia, or immune cells within the brain. In an individual with Alzheimer’s, microglia activate to cause inflammation and clear plaques—the buildup of proteins—in the brain. This process is initially helpful, yet over time, the activation has negative effects on the microglia. “Prolonged activation causes them to lose their normal function and begin to harm neurons, leading to progressive neuron loss,” Ashok K. Shetty, Ph.D., one of the study authors said in a press release.

Mice treated with the nasal spray were shown to have a reduction in both microglia clusters and the activation of the genes associated with inflammation. They also had fewer plaques than mice who didn’t receive the treatment. Treated mice had better cognitive function and mood than those who were untreated. As well, the treatment didn’t affect the microglia’s ability to continue clearing the protein buildup related to Alzheimer’s, the authors’ noted.

What’s Next?

The study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, revealed important insights, but human clinical trials will be necessary to validate the findings and test the efficacy and safety of the treatment.

The researchers say that the study has inspired additional research, and they hope that new studies will support a treatment that delays cognitive and Alzheimer’s-related symptoms by 10 to 15 years after a diagnosis. “Our journey to advance the application of this therapy for Alzheimer’s disease is just beginning,” Shetty said.

To learn about current clinical trials at Charter Research, call us at 407-337-3000 (Orlando) or 352-441-2000 (The Villages). You can also fill out the form on this page, and one of our representatives will call you within 24 hours (excluding weekends).