Alzheimer’s disease

The leading cause of
dementia worldwide

Dementia is an overarching term that refers to a range of symptoms affecting cognitive abilities. Many types of dementia exist, each with their own distinct causes and characteristics. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia that damages neurons and is characterised by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. It is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. 

The symptoms can affect a person’s ability to interact socially or function at work and at home. There is currently no oral treatment that either delays or prevents its onset, nor halts or slows down its progression. Drugs are available to treat some of the symptoms, but these often only work temporarily. 

A safe, affordable and effective treatment that can halt or significantly delay disease progression is urgently needed.

What happens in the brain?

Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of two types of proteins inside and between brain cells. One protein is called amyloid, which forms plaques around brain cells. The other protein is called tau, which forms tangles within brain cells. 

Tau tangles are closely linked to the dementia seen in Alzheimer’s disease. They form inside brain cells when tau proteins misfold and begin to gather into a mass or whole, leading to brain cell death.

A drug that inhibits the
formation of tau tangles

A drug that can halt or delay disease progression by preventing the build up of tau protein and tangles could change the meaning of a dementia diagnosis.