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An Alzheimer's Nasal Spray Vaccine Is About to Enter Human Trials For The First Time
Alzheimer's treatments seemed like an unlikely prospect mere months ago.
Drug trials tried and failed for 20 years to produce treatments that would stop the progression of the disease, and several large pharmaceutical companies abandoned the mission of developing Alzheimer's treatments altogether.
[...] Now, the field of Alzheimer's treatments may finally be opening up.
Last week, Brigham and Women's Hospital announced it would spearhead the first human trial of a nasal vaccine for Alzheimer's, designed to prevent or slow the disease's progression.
The trial is small – 16 people between ages 60 to 85 with Alzheimer's symptoms will receive two doses of the vaccine one week apart. But it builds on decades of research suggesting that stimulating the immune system can help clear out beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.
[...] The vaccine sprays a drug called Protollin directly into the nasal passage, with the goal of activating immune cells to remove the plaque.
FDA OKs Phase 1 Trial of Nasal Spray Immunotherapy Protollin
Protollin is a new intranasal immunotherapy made of proteins derived from the outer membrane of certain bacteria. It works by stimulating the innate immune system — the part of the immune system that serves as the body's first line of defense — to clear amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles from the brain.
It worked in mice, so it must be good.
Also at Medical News Today.
Related: Novel Dementia Vaccine on Track for Human Trials Within Two Years
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 28 2021, @02:54AM (7 children)
The word "vaccine" is abused out the wack. This scheme sounds like some preventative, mediating drug regiment, and only in the sense "possibly" and "marginally".
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 28 2021, @02:56AM
Just take your Alzheimer's booster every 6 months. If you can remember to do so.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 28 2021, @03:03AM
There are long-time proven vaccines that are having therapeutic effects post-infection. For example the HPV vaccine injected into a HPV-positive person both strengthens the immune response and prevents relapses after treatment. The same is true for the tetanus vaccine, it is given (often together with immuno globulin) even if a person was previously vaccinated (in most countries it's a mandatory childhood vaccination).
Whether this one is like that, well... we'll have to see the results of the trials.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 28 2021, @03:52AM (2 children)
OP here, what part of my comment is "flamebait?" You think that's some "anti-vaxxer" "fake news"?
I usually don't care about modding, but this is redonculous - you (the modder) are the anti-science anti-reason loon.
(Score: 2) by The Vocal Minority on Sunday November 28 2021, @12:04PM
Sorry burned all of my mod points on the parakeet's nonsense so can't mod you back up :(
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 28 2021, @02:08PM
At a guess, the article claims the spray stimulates the immune system.
Per merriam webster "2: a preparation or immunotherapy that is used to stimulate the body's immune response against noninfectious substances, agents, or diseases"
While it may not fit the most widely known concept of a vaccine it still qualifies. If you're going to complain about scientific words you should do your homework. Doubly so if you're going to whine about being called out.
(Score: 3, Informative) by khallow on Sunday November 28 2021, @03:07PM
Not really. They're triggering an immune response to these plaques rather than attacking the plaques directly.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 29 2021, @08:41AM
Well the word "vaccine" has already been destroyed by forces who apparently now control our speech. So now we can call everything "vaccine." In few hours I will have my hunger "vaccine" along side my thirst "vaccine." But now I'm about to take my tiredness "vaccine."