Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment | New Hope
Discover a groundbreaking stride in Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Researchers have developed a promising new drug that targets the blood-brain barrier, offering a potential breakthrough for the millions affected by this devastating neurodegenerative disease. The drug, SW033291, has shown impressive results in protecting mouse models from neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. This innovative approach focuses on the 15-PGDH enzyme, which is often elevated in Alzheimer’s and brain injuries, potentially opening doors to better treatments. The study shifts the focus from neurons to the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield for the brain, offering a novel avenue for preventing cognitive decline. News Directory 3 is following this important story. Learn about the latest findings and the potential this Alzheimer’s treatment holds for improving lives. Discover what’s next…
New Alzheimer’s Drug Targets Blood-Brain Barrier, Shows Promise
Updated June 17, 2025
With over 55 million individuals globally grappling with dementia stemming from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative conditions, a team of researchers is offering a beacon of hope. Scientists at Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical center have identified a promising new drug to treat AD by focusing on the blood-brain barrier.
The research,published May 21 in Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences (PNAS),details how the drug and their innovative approach of targeting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) yielded positive outcomes in mouse models of Alzheimer’s. The study suggests a novel avenue for preventing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
Andrew Pieper, co-led researcher and psychiatrist/neuroscientist at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, noted the drug’s effectiveness in protecting the BBB in mouse models. “In these mouse models treated with the drug,the BBB remained wholly undamaged,” Pieper said. “the brains didn’t undergo neurodegeneration and, most importantly, cognition and memory capacity where completely preserved.”
Sanford Markowitz, co-leader of the study and professor at Case Thorough Cancer Center and University Hospitals, highlighted the meaning of this new approach. Historically, Alzheimer’s research has focused on neurons. This study shifts focus to the BBB, a protective cell network between the brain and blood.
The BBB safeguards the brain by selectively allowing molecules to pass while blocking harmful substances. Deterioration of the BBB is an early sign of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Researchers targeted the 15-PGDH enzyme, highly enriched in the BBB, and found it further elevated in AD, TBI, and aging, harming the BBB. The team then used SW033291, a drug developed at Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals, to block this enzyme.
Markowitz emphasized that SW033291 didn’t alter amyloid levels in the brain, unlike recently approved AD drugs that target amyloid removal but have limited effectiveness and potential side effects. ”finding together that blocking 15-PGDH also blocks brain inflammation and protects the BBB was an exciting new revelation,” Markowitz said.
The study also revealed that inhibiting 15-PGDH with SW033291 protected mice from neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment after TBI, even when administered a day post-injury. This new Alzheimer’s drug offers a potential new treatment approach.
What’s next
Based on these encouraging results, scientists are optimistic that this new drug could offer a new approach to treat Alzheimer’s, brain injuries, and potentially other brain diseases by targeting the blood-brain barrier.