Support for Alzheimer’s research pledge
Alzheimer's Australia Vic welcomes the ALP election pledge of $15 million for critical
research to advance a drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
“There is a major international research effort into new treatments for Alzheimer’s
disease and it is highly significant that Australia, and in this case Victoria, is providing
a lead,” said Maree McCabe CEO of Alzheimer's Australia Vic.
“The research work being undertaken at the Mental Health Research Institute is
globally significant and it is essential that Governments support our researchers.
“Alzheimer's Australia has set two major challenges to Government – to provide
quality dementia care for all Australians, and to reduce the prevalence of dementia in
the future.”
Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by the abnormal build up in the brain of a
protein called beta-amyloid. PBT2, the drug that is the focus of this research is a
drug designed to interfere with the way beta-amyloid interacts with the metals that
naturally occur in the brain.
Laboratory and animal studies of the drug have shown that it reduces the
aggregation and toxicity of beta-amyloid, suggesting it may hold promise for the
treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Today’s ALP policy commitment to a large clinical trial will be of significance in
determining whether we can find more effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease,”
Ms McCabe said.
“Alzheimer's Australia Vic as Victoria’s peak dementia organisation supporting
people living with dementia, their families and carers, stands ready to work with
Victorian researchers.
“The fact that dementia is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 65
and the third leading cause of death in Australia makes this relationship vital.
Today 66,000 Victorians live with dementia, but without research breakthroughs that
number will increase to 246,000 by 2050 in Victoria alone, and nearly 1 million in
Australia,” Ms McCabe said.
<ends>
For media enquiries please call Christine Bolt on 0437 453 113
Media release
Friday 5 November 2010
NEWS 
