Alnylam's RNAi approach shows sustained benefits in Alzheimer's patients

Alnylam's experimental drug for Alzheimer's disease has shown promising benefits in patients for up to six months. The drug, which utilizes RNA interference to silence disease-causing genes, resulted in significant reductions in protein biomarkers associated with the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain. The levels of these biomarkers remained 55 to 65 percent lower than before treatment six months after receiving the drug. The results suggest the potential for administering two doses per year to maintain reduced protein levels. Alnylam's drug is the first to target a gene causing a brain disease, serving as a proof of concept for RNA interference drugs in neurodegenerative disorders. Further studies are needed to determine if reducing protein biomarkers slows the progression of Alzheimer's.