Phase I trials are to commence in the United Kingdom on a vaccine for Alzheimer's disease, after being given the go-ahead by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA).
In animal studies, AN1792 (Betabloc), which is composed of amyloid-b peptide, prevented the build-up, and reduced existing levels, of amyloid plaques in mice that had been bred to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (PJ 1999;263:79).
Elan Pharmaceuticals, the UK manufacturer of AN1792, plans to begin studies in the next few weeks. They will involve up to 80 patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Subjects will receive several intramuscular doses of the vaccine over a period of six months, in order to determine the vaccine's optimum dose, its safety and tolerability.
Phase I trials of AN1792 have been ongoing in the US since December, 1999.