Biogen's Aducanumab: First Potential Drug That Could Treat Alzheimer's Disease

First Posted: Sep 05, 2016 05:56 AM EDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave a Fast Track designation to Biogen's investigational molecule known as aducanumab, which found to be a promising drug that could treat the causes of Alzheimer's disease. Biogen is now working on the research and development of the molecule, which is in phase 1b, and meeting its main endpoints.

In the study printed in Nature, it suggested that the drug aducanumab reduced the amyloid plaques, which causes the Alzheimer's disease, in the brain. This slowed the cognitive impairment and progression of dementia.

Biogen explained that Aducanumab (BIIB037) is an investigational compound and a human recombinant monoclonal antibody (mAb) that is developed for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is derived from a de-identified library of B cells gathered from healthy elderly subjects with no signs of cognitive impairment or cognitive impaired elderly subjects with usually slow cognitive decline using Neurimmune's technology platform known as reverse Translational Medicine (RTM).

Clinical trial: new @biogen #Alzheimers drug #aducanumab could benefit early-stage patients https://t.co/4Oto8y1efq pic.twitter.com/PbvsU1XLMw

— Ian Kremer (@LEAD_Coalition) September 1, 2016

The drug targets the aggregated forms of beta amyloid that includes soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils deposited into the amyloid plaque in the brain of people with AD. The promising treatment of aducanumab shows reducing the amyloid plaque levels.

Many people worldwide are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It is reported that there were approximately 25 million people all around the globe with Alzheimer's disease. This neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral disturbances that result in patient's inability to perform the daily activities.

Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia, which accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. It has no current cure. On the other hand, there are treatments that can slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and enhance the quality life of the AD patients.