Could diabetes drug slow Alzheimer's? (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A trial has begun to see whether a drug used to treat diabetes can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The study will involve 200 patients with memory problems due to early Alzheimer's. Laboratory research suggests that the drug, liraglutide, reduces brain inflammation, improving the growth of brain cells and the connections between them.

Patients will be recruited in London - at Imperial College and King's College - and sites in Oxford, Southampton and Swindon.
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Those on the trial will receive a daily injection of liraglutide or a placebo for 12 months. They will have scans and memory tests before and after the treatment.

It's a decade since the last new treatment for Alzheimer's was introduced and some major drug trials have failed in recent years.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25214885

[BlueToTheBone]

1. The main drawback to that drug

is that it causes pancreatitis, which is usually fatal.

[TexasProgresive]

2. Victoza or liraglutide is advertized heavily- the possible side effects are scary.

Liraglutide injection may increase the risk that you will develop tumors of the thyroid gland, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC; a type of thyroid cancer), which may cause death if it is not treated at an early stage. If you develop thyroid cancer, your thyroid gland may need to be surgically removed. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid carcinoma, or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2; condition that causes tumors in more than one gland in the body). If so, your doctor will probably tell you not to use liraglutide injection. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: lump or swelling in the neck; hoarseness; difficulty swallowing; or shortness of breath.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain tests to check your body's response to liraglutide injection.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with liraglutide injection and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of using liraglutide injection.