Barrow Neurological Institute begins Alzheimer’s clinical trials

Patients with early Alzheimer’s can now enroll in clinical trials at Barrow Neurological Institute using drugs originally developed for cancer and multiple sclerosis. The two trials will be using already existing drugs for two very different conditions.

The first trial will look at the effects of a bone cancer drug in those living with mild cognitive impairment. The second trial will involve a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, a behavioral neurologist at Barrow’s Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the trials and the type of patients the institute is looking for.

“The first study is looking at cancer drugs repurposed for Alzheimer’s,” Dr. Sabbagh said, “…cancer drugs, of course, treat some of the inflammatory changes in cancer, and we think those kinds of changes occur in Alzheimer’s, and could be particularly useful.”

According to Dr. Sabbagh, Revlimid is a drug that has been approved for 20 years to treat bone cancer and myeloma. However, he thinks it has particular effects on the inflammatory processes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease.

“There’s a lot of inflammatory changes in the brain of Alzheimer’s for many years…and they’ve tried every anti-inflammatory you’ve ever heard of…all these other things don’t work for treatment or prevention,” Dr. Sabbagh discussed, “…turns out that a lot of cancer drugs have this very same effects to treat their conditions and reduce inflammation.”

Dr. Sabbagh explained that the concept of the drug, Siponimod, is its reprogramming of one’s immune system to work normally rather than abnormally.

“I’ve spent 30 years of my career trying to be the Perpetual optimist, but now I’m finally happy to tell you that a lot of things are moving,” Dr. Sabbagh said.

If you are interested or want to be involved with this program, then you can find more information on the website.