FIRST ALZHEIMER'S PILL FOR GENETICALLY- AT-HIGH-RISK SHOWS PROMISE IN PHASE 3 TRIAL

While researchers still do not know what exactly causes Alzheimer's disease, past studies show that genetics can play an important role.

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One gene variant that is particularly associated with Alzheimer's disease risk is APOE4. Researchers estimate that between 15-25% of the general public have the APOE4 gene variant. There are some people who carry two copies of the gene called APOE4/4 that increases their Alzheimer's disease risk even further. Previous research reports that people who have two copies of the APOE4 gene variant may increase their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by age 85, by as much as 60%. APOE4/4 patients, who represent about 15% of all Alzheimer's disease cases, experience faster disease progression, and have the fewest treatment options. They face the highest risk of brain edema/swelling and brain bleeds (called ARIA-E and ARIA-H) with current anti-amyloid immunotherapies.

But there is now a drug which may offer hope to such patients. The authors of a new study recently published in the journal