Alzheimer's disease: New therapeutic strategies

The rapid increase in prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease means that treatments to prevent, stop or reverse this devastating disease are urgently needed. Despite advances in understanding its molecular pathology, there are no drugs that can halt its progression. This review takes a tour through phase 2, or higher studies, probing receptor agonist agents interfering with aggregation, inhibitors/modulators of secretases, lipid-lowering agents, and, finally and most extensively, immunotherapy. The fact that phase 3 studies with bapineuzumab and solaneuzumab have recently failed does not invalidate the potential of immunotherapy, as more information is available and new clinical trials are being initiated. (c) 2014 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.