The existing HIV medication Efavirenz may potentially also be effective for Alzheimer’s patients by lowering cholesterol in the brain. A clinical trial to test this led by Dr. Rik van der Kant, team leader at the Dementia Discovery, started in fall 2024 and now the first patient has completed treatment. Participants are still being recruited.
Promising step
Rik van der Kant discovered that cholesterol buildup in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients directly leads to an accumulation of the toxic proteins Tau and Amyloid. He also found that Efavirenz might be suitable for reversing this buildup. Dr. Jort Vijverberg, Neurologist at the Alzheimer Center is also hopeful about the trial “We are very curious to see how this medication will work in Alzheimer’s patients, I consider it a promising step in the right direction.”
Participants needed
The trial is still looking for participants. In total, forty patients are needed to take part in the three-month clinical trial in Amsterdam. Participants can take part if they have been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, are between 50 and 75 years old, and have a family member or caregiver who can accompany them to the research center visits and answer questions about their health and daily functioning. If participants are unsure whether they want to or are able to take part, they can always register without obligation. Their eligibility to participate will be assessed at a later stage.”
For more information, visit Efavirenz – Brain Research Center