Diabetes and ADHD drugs to be tested on Alzheimer's patients in new study
Drugs will be tested simultaneously, which it's hoped will speed up the process of finding new treatments for this common type of dementia.
A new clinical trial in the UK aims to accelerate the search for Alzheimer's disease treatments by testing multiple drugs simultaneously, including repurposed medicines for type 2 diabetes and ADHD. The AD-SMART study, led by the UK Dementia Research Institute and Alzheimer's Research UK, is seeking around 1,200 participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
The two initial drugs being tested are metformin, a diabetes medication, and atomoxetine, an ADHD treatment, selected by an international panel of experts. Both drugs may help reduce brain inflammation, a key driver of neurodegeneration, according to chief investigator Prof Paresh Malhotra. The trial's multi-arm, multi-stage platform design allows for quicker identification of effective treatments, which could have a significant impact on patients' quality of life.
Angela Bucksey, a 67-year-old diagnosed with Alzheimer's, is the first participant to begin treatment. She feels empowered by joining the trial, stating that it allows her to actively fight back against the disease rather than passively accept her diagnosis. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose father died from Alzheimer's, praised the trial's potential to bring cutting-edge treatments to patients in the UK more quickly.
The study is expected to complete evaluations of the initial drugs by 2030, with additional treatments likely to be added during this period.
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