An experimental drug has shown promise in preventing Alzheimer’s for people at higher risk of developing the disease.

That’s according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where researchers ran a clinical trial of people with rare genetic mutations that almost “guarantee” future Alzheimer’s development, according to a press release.

The study included 73 people in their 30s, 40s and 50s who have the mutation, which causes an overproduction of amyloid in the brain.

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Amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brain and can interfere with cognitive function, is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. 

All participants had no (or very mild) cognitive decline, had a family history of Alzheimer’s, and were within 15 years before to 10 years after their expected age of developing symptoms, the release stated.

For 22 of the participants who received a drug called gantenerumab for eight years, their risk of developing symptoms was cut in half — from 100% to 50% — the researchers reported.

“What we do know is that it’s possible to at least delay the onset of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and give people more years of healthy life.”

“There was no effect seen in those only treated for two to three years of treatment,” senior author Randall J. Bateman, MD, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology at WashU Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Neurology on March 19.

For 22 of the participants who received a drug called gantenerumab for eight years, their risk of developing symptoms was cut in half — from 100% to 50% — the researchers reported. (iStock)

Gantenerumab, a monoclonal antibody designed to target and remove amyloid plaques in the brain, was in development by Roche in Switzerland and its U.S. affiliate, Genentech.

Development was stopped in 2023, however, after Roche/Genentech’s own clinical trials found that the drug did not meet their “primary endpoint” for slowing cognitive decline in people with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, according to the release.

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“Everyone in this study was destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease and some of them haven’t yet,” said Bateman in the release.  

“We don’t yet know how long they will remain symptom-free – maybe a few years or maybe decades. In order to give them the best opportunity to stay cognitively normal, we have continued treatment with another anti-amyloid antibody in hopes they will never develop symptoms at all,” he went on.

The hope is that if late-onset Alzheimer’s trials have similar results, prevention methods could ultimately be available to the general population, according to the researchers. (iStock)

“What we do know is that it’s possible to at least delay the onset of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and give people more years of healthy life.”

The hope is that if late-onset Alzheimer’s trials have similar results, prevention methods could ultimately be available to the general population, according to Bateman.

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“I am highly optimistic now, as this could be the first clinical evidence of what will become preventions for people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. “One day soon, we may be delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease for millions.”

Howard Fillit, MD, co-founder and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation in New York, noted that the study shows for the first time that early treatment to clear the plaques before symptoms arise can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s — “similar to how we treat and prevent other chronic diseases.”

Although gantenerumab is no longer being developed, researchers are evaluating other anti-amyloid drugs — such as remternetug, which is made by Eli Lilly — to determine whether they may prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (iStock)

“We’ve entered into a new era of Alzheimer’s research where we can not only modify the course of the disease, but where prevention is possible with therapeutic intervention,” Fillit, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

Potential limitations and risks

There were several main limitations to the research, Bateman told Fox News Digital.

The number of people was limited due to the rarity of Alzheimer’s disease caused by mutations, the use of external controls, and the fact that the study started with lower doses, he said.

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“Many of the participants are still cognitively normal and near or past their expected age of onset even after more than eight years of treatment, so the effects could be larger or smaller with continued treatment and follow-up,” Bateman noted.

The researchers noted that anti-amyloid medications like gantenerumab have been shown to cause amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA).

Amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brain and can interfere with cognitive function, is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s.  (iStock)

These appear on brain scans as “tiny spots of blood in the brain or localized swelling of the brain,” the release stated. 

The majority of these side effects do not cause symptoms and resolve without treatment, but in rare cases ARIA can cause serious medical issues or can even be fatal.

This most recent study showed that 30% of participants experienced ARIA, likely due to the higher doses of the drug. 

Although two participants had to stop using gantenerumab due to severe ARIA, there were no “life-threatening adverse events and no deaths,” the researchers noted. 

“Overall, the safety profile of gantenerumab in the extension was similar to that in the original trial and in other clinical trials of gantenerumab,” they stated.

More research needed, experts agree

Dr. Chris Vercammen, a board-certified internal medicine physician who specializes in geriatrics and palliative care, said that while these initial findings are “encouraging,” more research is needed on the effects of these medications.

“Large, randomized trials, including diverse populations and individuals with late-onset Alzheimer’s, are needed to validate these early results and determine the full potential of these treatments,” Vercammen, who is also medical director at Remo Health in California, told Fox News Digital. (He was not involved in the new study.)

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“It’s important to note that this study’s design focused on high-risk individuals in the pre-clinical stage, and therefore does not provide sufficient data on the impact of these medications on later-stage Alzheimer’s.”

Fillit added that this new research opens the door for further exploration of treating preclinical Alzheimer’s.

Anti-amyloid medications like gantenerumab have been shown to cause amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which appear on brain scans as “tiny spots of blood in the brain or localized swelling of the brain.” (iStock)

“We look forward to seeing the longitudinal data as well as further studies around this approach,” he told Fox News Digital.

“These efforts bring us one step closer to our ultimate goal of preventing the disease before it begins.”

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Although gantenerumab is no longer being developed, researchers are evaluating other anti-amyloid drugs — such as remternetug, which is made by Eli Lilly — to determine whether they may prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

“These efforts bring us one step closer to our ultimate goal of preventing the disease before it begins.”

“These rare families with mutations may wish to participate in ongoing trials,” Bateman told Fox News Digital.  

“The older general population might be interested to know that there are ongoing trials in people with amyloid plaques to test this approach to determine if Alzheimer’s symptoms could be prevented.”

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The study was funded primarily by the Alzheimer’s Association, GHR Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Fox News Digital reached out to Roche/Genentech for comment.

Each year on March 21, World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) marks a global day of awareness and education about the genetic condition.

The goal is to “help people understand and support those with Down syndrome better,” according to the initiative’s website. WDSD has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.

On Friday, Fox News contributor Tom Shillue headed to Times Square in New York City to speak with New Yorkers about their awareness of WDSD. (See the video at the top of this article.)

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Shillue spoke with Daniel Schreck, chairman of the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation, a global nonprofit focused on research and advocacy for people with genetic intellectual disabilities.

Schreck also has a daughter with Down syndrome.

When asked about common fears or misunderstandings about the condition, Schreck spoke of the perceived limitations.   

“I think the most important thing is that if you have Down syndrome, just like any other disability, you can live an abundant life and there’s nothing to be afraid of,” he said.

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“Plus, people with Down’s syndrome are the happiest people you’ve ever met. So there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

The date of WDSD, the 21st day of the third month, was chosen to commemorate the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome.

Daniel Schreck’s daughter, Rose, has Down syndrome. “People with Down’s syndrome are the happiest people you’ve ever met. So there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Schreck told Tom Shillue, Fox News contributor. (Daniel Schreck)

Schreck joked that the extra chromosome “makes you happier.”

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His son, Danny, also joined the conversation to speak about his sister, Rose.

The date of WDSD, the 21st day of the third month, was chosen to commemorate the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome. (iStock)

“She’s really fun to be around,” said Danny Schreck. 

“It’s kind of weird to see everyone else compared to her, where she’s just so happy and everyone else is just walking around with their head down.” 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition. 

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Each year, about 5,000 babies with Down syndrome are born in the U.S., or one in every 775, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. 

The number of people with Parkinson’s disease could double by 2050, affecting 25 million people globally, according to a new study.

Researchers from Capital Medical University in Beijing, China, found that the prevalence of the neurological movement disorder is expected to reach 267 cases per 100,000 people by 2050, a 76% increase from 2021.

The most significant rise is anticipated among people aged 80 and older, with cases projected to increase by 196% by 2050, they noted.

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The findings were published earlier this month in The BMJ.

“To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first comprehensive projections of the global, regional and national prevalence of Parkinson’s disease until 2050,” wrote the researchers.

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The researchers sought to “effectively target prevention and intervention” by analyzing the future prevalence of Parkinson’s disease at global, regional and national levels by socioeconomic status, age and sex, according to the written study.

The most significant rise is anticipated among people aged 80 and older, with cases projected to increase by 196% by 2050.

To gather this data, researchers examined the Global Burden of Disease 2021, a study that systematically quantifies health loss caused by Parkinson’s in terms of the above demographics.

“This provides a more recent and appropriate foundation for forecasting the future prevalence of Parkinson’s disease than previous forecasts,” states the published study.

Neurodegenerative diseases will eventually surpass cancer as the second leading cause of death, predicts the World Health Organization. (iStock)

The World Health Organization estimates that neurodegenerative diseases — including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s — will surpass cancer as the second leading cause of death worldwide by 2040.

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Between 2021 and 2050, the researchers predict that population aging, population growth and changes in prevalence would contribute 89%, 20% and 3%, respectively, to the increase in the number of Parkinson’s disease cases globally.

Research indicates that population aging, population growth and changes in prevalence will contribute to the spike in cases globally. (iStock)

Men are expected to be more affected than women, with the male-to-female ratio of age-standardized prevalence increasing from 1.46 in 2021 to 1.64 in 2050.

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The highest number of Parkinson’s cases is projected to be in East Asia (10.9 million), followed by South Asia (6.8 million). The lowest were predicted to be in Oceania (11,000) and Australasia (86,000).

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Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.