EU researchers create new Alzheimer's cure
Alzheimer's Disease is being targeted by an EU research project wanting to stimulate immune systems into attacking the condition's 42 amino acid-peptides that kill brain cells.
Alzheimer's Disease is being targeted by an EU research project wanting to stimulate immune systems into attacking the condition's 42 amino acid-peptides that kill brain cells.
The Mimovax project differs from previous Alzheimer's vaccine prototypes by prompting immune systems to attack only these specific peptides, rather than risking attacks on healthy beta amyloid proteins whose degeneration actually creates the disease's dangerous peptides.
Project coordinator from Austrian company Affiris, Dr Frank Mattner, said this was the result of previous human-trialled vaccines: 'Some of the patients developed an auto-immune disease.' He said Mimovax would use a 'mimotope.. capable of inducing the production of antibodies against the degenerated form of the protein'.
His company is also working with researchers from Germany and Spain.