Tuesday 22 March 2011

Alzheimer's Disease and a safe, available treatment

It is a great tragedy that Colostrinin(R), a safe and probably effective treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease, is not being developed.  The media seize upon advances like stem cells but the publicity would be better directed at Colostrinin, a mixture of proteins that was effective in its only clinical trial and, due to its origin in milk, is manifestly safe. It is much cheaper than stem cells and available now as a nutraceutical that can be bought by anyone and not just the few who could have an operation to implant cells. There is impressive evidence that it has biochemical effects relevant to Alzheimers, more than has been considered enough to justify other research projects.
Why is Colostrinin stalled after only one trial? The reason is that it is owned by a small Biotech company called ReGen Therapeutics that does not have enough funds for more. Several major pharmaceutical companies have been asked to partner ReGen but all have declined. Papers have appeared and presentations delivered at meetings but no academic has taken up the lead. I published an expose of this situation in the electronic version of the BMJ but there has not been any response. It is always somebody else’s problem.
This is why I am twittering on the subject.  I hope that enough people with enough influence will find this summary of Colostrinin and work collectively to do something about it.
To start with have a look at these websites
Description of Nutraceuticals :  http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Brief-Introduction-to-Nutraceutical-Sciences&id=4896887
ReGen company website page:  http://www.regentherapeutics.com/rtl/products/pharmaceuticals/
Scientific review article with 140 references: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18430998
Purchase sites can be found by searching on Memory Aid Colostrinin. An approximate price for a month of once-a-day tablets is £15.