Some Israeli research into the drug ladostigil was recently published. "Ladostigil combines neuroprotective effects with monoamine oxidase -A and -B and cholinesterase inhibitory activities in a single molecule, as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy Body disease." In an article I read in July '07, ladostigil is described as Rasagiline (the MAO A and MAO B component; brand name is Azilect) and Exelon (the cholinesterase inhibitor component).*

Here's the abstract, and below that is an excerpt from the article of July '07:


Frontiers in Bioscience. 2008 May 1;13:5131-7.

The neuroprotective mechanism of action of the multimodal drug ladostigil.

Weinreb O, Amit T, Bar-Am O, Yogev-Falach M, Youdim MB.
Eve Topf and USA National Parkinson Foundation Centers of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research and Department of Pharmacology, Technion-Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.

The recent therapeutic approach in which drug candidates are designed to possess diverse pharmacological properties and act on multiple targets has stimulated the development of the multimodal drug, ladostigil (TV3326) ((N-propargyl-(3R) aminoindan-5yl)-ethyl methyl carbamate). Ladostigil combines neuroprotective effects with monoamine oxidase -A and -B and cholinesterase inhibitory activities in a single molecule, as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy Body disease. Preclinical studies show that ladostigil has antidepressant and anti-AD activities and the clinical development is planned for these dementias. In this review, we discuss the multimodal effects of ladostigil in terms of neuroprotective molecular mechanism in vivo and in vitro, which include the amyloid precursor protein processing; activation of protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways; regulation of the Bcl-2 family members; inhibition of cell death markers and up-regulation of neurotrophic factors. Altogether, these scientific findings make ladostigil a potentially valuable drug for the treatment of AD.

PubMed ID#: 18508575 (see pubmed.gov for abstract only)



* This article was published in Scopus, a magazine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It discusses brain research, neurotransmitters, Lewy bodies, brain inflammation, etc. One of the researchers at Hebrew University developed the drug that became Exelon, a drug used in AD and PDD.

I've copied below a short excerpt on ladostigil plus a link to the full issue of the magazine:

http://hunews.huji.ac.il/upload/2scopus07final.pdf (this article starts on page 6 of the PDF)

Saving the Brain

University researchers, already credited with developing therapies
that have improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients
suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, continue to
work on innovative treatments

By Susan Goodman
Scopus, the magazine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Volume 54, 2007

...

Prof. Weinstock-Rosin’s latest research focuses on a
novel drug called ladostigil and which combines Exelon with
Rasagiline, a Parkinson’s disease treatment developed by
Professor Moussa Youdim of the Technion-Israel Institute
of Technology.

Following a chance conversation between them in 1994,
Weinstock and Youdim realized that by combining their
expertise and amalgamating the active components of their
respective drugs, they might produce a more powerful
new drug for combating and controlling the progress of
Alzheimer’s. Their research has been funded by Israel’s
leading drug company, Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Using an animal model to test the drug, some of the
earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease have been elucidated
and insights have also been provided into the workings of
the normal brain. ...

Robin, My brother-in-law who has Alzheimers is going to participate in a study for a new drug here in Nashville. All I know is that he will receive it by infusion. Silly me, I forgot that some treatments for Az work on Lbd too. I'll find out what it is then post it.