Old Russian Antihistamine Dimebon: Potential Anti-Alzheimer's?

Filed in archive Alzheimer's Disease , Studies on July 21, 2008

Dimebon is a drug once used in Russia as antihistamine. Now, initial trials conducted by a team from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston using the drug against Alzheimer's disease has shown promising positive results.

Findings are published in the current issue of the The Lancet:

In the study, the authors noted that Dimebon is the first drug for Alzheimer's disease that demonstrated continued improvement in patients over a 12 month period. Other approved drugs do not have this effect.

Half of the 183 patients in the Russian study received Dimebon; the other half were given a placebo or an inactive pill. Clinicians at the study sites then monitored the patients' progress over the next year on five different outcomes. All of those in the study had mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Then bigger trial is underway (Phase 3 study) and will include several international locations including the United States. Fundings are provided by Medivation, Inc. - the drug's worldwide developer.

Well...let's wait and see how this goes. Potentially promising, eh?

Read more from Baylor College of Medicine.