The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7270 p488
11 October 2003

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European College of Neuropsychopharmacology congress (www.ecnp.nl)

Alzheimer's vaccine hope

Although a phase II multi-centre trial of a vaccine for Alzheimer's disease was suspended last year, because of cases of aseptic meningoencephalitis in 6 per cent of participants, an independent follow-up study of a cohort (n=30) in Zurich has found that the vaccine did slow disease progression in 20 cases.

Patients in the phase II trial were given prime and booster injections of beta-amyloid to encourage the body to produce antibodies against beta-amyloid plaques, which are associated with age-related memory impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Reporting on the follow-up study at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Prague last month, Professor Christoph Hock, division of psychiatry research, University of Zurich, called the antibody response that was observed “remarkable”. Patients also showed significantly slower rates of decline in daily activities and cognitive function, indicated by mini mental-state examinations, disability assessments and the Wechsler memory scale.

The Journal attended the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology congress courtesy of Eli Lilly