Russian Antihistamine (Dimebon) Helps Alzheimer’s Patients
The name of the drug is Dimebolin Hydrochloride (Dimebon) which is an antihistamine drug used clinically in Russia since the 1980s.
In new research , Dimebolin has garnered interest since it has been shown to have beneficial effects on persons with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2000, animal research showed potential benefit in Alzheimer’s disease models. New results from human testing also looks promising. A six-month phase II trial showed that at 12 months patients had significant improvement compared to placebo. Dimebon also has shown promise in a Phase III double blind trial in Russia with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s patients. Dimebolin is an oral medication which is a small molecule that inhibits brain cell death in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease.It is a potential drug treatment for these and other neurologic diseases. The new studies suggest that Dimebon may also have cognition improving effects in healthy people.
Dimebon has several mechanisms of action–it blocks the action of neurotoxic beta amyloid proteins and inhibits certain calcium channels which modulate the action of the neurotransmitters AMPA and NMDA. It may also have a neuroprotective effect by blocking a target in the mitochondria (which may play a role in the cell death in neurodegenerative diseases). Additional studies will continue in both Russia and other nations into the applications of Dimebon as an Alzheimer’s disease treatment and as neuroprotective agent.
Results from the Russian study were presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Chicago this week.
Medivation, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDVN) has announced publication of the results of its first Alzheimer’s disease clinical trial of ab investigational drug Dimebon in the July 19, 2008 issue of The Lancet. The double-blind, placebo controlled study showed that, patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease given Dimebon experienced statistically significant improvements compared to placebo in all the key aspects of Alzheimer’s disease: memory and thinking, activities of daily living, behavior and overall function.
