Drug Targeting Alleviation of Symptoms in AD Dog Patients

Background

Disturbances of memory and cognitive functions characteristic of patients with Alzheimer’s disease are the result of a severely reduced concentration of the acetylcholine transporter in the brain. Inhibition of acetylcholine hydrolysis in the brain is used to increase acetylcholine concentrations, thereby alleviating memory disorders, restoring cognitive function, and relieving symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and similar dementias.

Technology Overview

The drug University of Ljubljana researchers developed inhibits the hydrolysis of acetylcholine in the brain, thereby alleviating symptoms in dogs suffering from canine cognitive impairment, dementia similar to Alzheimer’s disease (). The present invention is being tested in dogs with symptoms of AD. The goal is to commercialise the drug for veterinary use and further test it for human use.

Benefits

Drugs developed to target Alzheimer’s disease usually cause cholinergic side effects. As a result, limited dosing may lead to decreased efficacy in the later stages of the disease. The current drug works through a different mechanism of action that limits the aforementioned side effects and can also work in later stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Applications

• Veterinary medicine.
• Veterinary medical sciences.