New Drug NU-9 Halts Early Alzheimer’s Brain Damage in Mice, Raising Hope for Preventive Treatment

Scientists at Northwestern University have reported promising findings showing that a newly developed compound, NU-9, was able to halt early Alzheimer’s-related brain damage in mice, offering hope that the disease could one day be managed at an early stage. The research suggests Alzheimer’s may eventually be treated preventively, similar to how conditions like high cholesterol are controlled before serious symptoms develop.

According to a study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, researchers discovered a previously unidentified toxic form of the amyloid beta protein that plays a key role in triggering early brain inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This toxic protein appears before major symptoms emerge and may be a critical driver of early neurological damage.

When the compound NU-9 was administered orally to mice prior to the onset of symptoms, it successfully reduced levels of the toxic amyloid protein and significantly decreased brain inflammation. These results indicate that targeting early-stage biological changes could slow or prevent disease progression.

Lead researcher Richard Silverman noted that NU-9 could potentially be developed as a preventive treatment if early Alzheimer’s biomarkers are detected through screening. However, researchers emphasized that further studies are required, including testing the compound at later stages of the disease and conducting human clinical trials, before it can be considered for real-world use.