Prevention and treatment of amyloidogenic disease

Abstract

The invention provides improved agents and methods for treatment of diseases associated with amyloid deposits of Aβ in the brain of a patient. Such methods entail administering agents that induce a beneficial immunogenic response against the amyloid deposit. The methods are useful for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Preferred agents including N-terminal fragments of Aβ and antibodies binding to the same.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 580,018, filed May 26, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention resides in the technical fields of immunology and medicine. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease resulting in senile dementia. See generally Selkoe, TINS 16, 403-409 (1993); Hardy et al., WO 92 / 13069; Selkoe, J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 53, 438-447 (1994); Duff et al., Nature 373, 476-477 (1995); Games et al., Nature 373, 523 (1995). Broadly speaking, the disease falls into two categories: late onset, which occurs in old age (65+ years) and early onset, which develops well before the senile period, i.e., between 35 and 60 years. In both types of disease, the pathology is the same but the abnormalities tend to be more severe and widespread in cases beginning at an earlier age. The dis...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes methods for preventing or treating diseases associated with amyloid deposits in the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease, by administering antibodies or fragments of Aβ that elicit an immunogenic response against certain epitopes within Aβ. The methods can be used on both asymptomatic patients and those currently showing symptoms of disease. The antibodies can be administered as a pharmaceutical composition or through genetic engineering. The methods can involve inducing a clearing response against the amyloid deposits or preventing the formation of new deposits. The patent also describes methods for inducing an immunogenic response against an N-terminal segment of Aβ without inducing an immunogenic response against other epitopes within Aβ."

Problems solved by technology

Because EP 526,511's proposed dosage would barely alter the level of endogenous circulating Aβ and because EP 526,511 does not recommend use of an adjuvant, as an immunostimulant, it seems implausible that any therapeutic benefit would result.

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