title: New and emerging treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias represent a significant and increasing clinical challenge. This review highlights current treatment options for AD and the main focusses of therapies currently being evaluated in clinical trials and for future therapeutic development. Existing treatments slow the progression of symptoms of the disease, but their efficacy does not extend to all people with AD, and benefits are not conveyed beyond an average of 6 months. Despite the substantial economic cost and healthcare burden of AD, which is increasing as populations age, there are currently only three therapies being investigated in Phase III clinical trials. This emphasises the substantial caution and underinvestment in treatment development in this area and why it is critical to address the current lack of effective treatments to target the underlying pathology and disease process in Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer's Society, Devon House, London E1W 1JX, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ballard
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors