How a new pill could halt Alzheimer’s by prompting the brain to rewire itself

A new pill could stop Alzheimer’s disease by prompting the brain to rewire itself.

The experimental tablet, called BnH-101, is designed to improve neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to rearrange connections after they have been damaged by disease or injury.

In tests on mice, the pill led to the formation of new connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that controls memory, learning and emotions. This in turn boosted scores on memory tests.

Crucially, the pill also reduced the formation of harmful amyloid plaques, proteins in the brain thought to be a key factor in the development of the disease.

A study involving dozens of people with Alzheimer’s is currently being set up in South Korea to reproduce the initial findings.

The experimental tablet – called BnH-101 – is designed to improve neuroplasticity. (Stock image)

The disease is characterized by an abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain. (Stock photo)

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and loss of short-term memory.

More than 900,000 people in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease, a figure that is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, partly due to the ageing population.

The disease is characterized by the abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain. In addition to amyloid plaques, these include another protein called tau, which forms tangles in brain cells.

In the past few years, several new drugs have emerged that appear to slow some of the damage caused by the disease. One of them, lecanemab, last month became the first disease-modifying drug to be approved in the UK. However, it is only available privately, because the NHS spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, said the benefits do not justify the cost – estimated at around £20,000 per patient per year.

Scientists at BnH Research, the South Korean company developing the new pill, predict it will be a more effective way to combat the disease.

It is designed to boost a protein in the brain called GluN2B, which plays a key role in improving the brain’s neuroplasticity – the ability to grow new nerve cells that can bypass damage caused by, for example, a stroke or Alzheimer’s.

Activating the process has been shown to benefit the brain. In strokes, for example, repeated rehabilitation exercises with paralyzed limbs can help the brain form new nerve connections, allowing patients to learn to walk and talk again.

A 2023 study in mice with a disease resembling Alzheimer’s found that mice given the new drug performed much better on memory tests than mice given a dummy version.

Scientists at BnH Research, the South Korean company developing the new pill, predict it will be a more effective way to combat the disease. (Stock photo)

More than 900,000 people in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease, a figure expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. (Stock photo)

The mice were exposed to a very mild, slightly painful electric current. Researchers then observed which mice remembered to avoid it the next time.

The new trial in South Korea will test different doses of the drug in people with and without Alzheimer’s disease. Results are expected in a few years.

James Rowe, a consultant neurologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and a professor of cognitive neurology at the University of Cambridge, said: ‘This new drug could work in a number of ways. Some of these build on mechanisms exploited by existing drugs, such as supporting connections in the brain, reducing inflammation and helping plasticity.

‘The combination of these complementary effects could be an advantage. But making the leap from the lab to humans can be challenging.