HEALTH : Doubt Cast on Alzheimer’s Drug

A drug once hailed as helping to restore the memory of Alzheimer’s disease patients has failed to improve symptoms of the debilitating disorder to a significant extent, according to a new study released today.

The study by a group in Montreal assessed the effects of a drug called THA on 52 patients with the disease, which is characterized by progressive memory loss and senility.

The study is published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

“The drug still could be used experimentally to explore how it works and how it affects Alzheimer’s, but I really can’t see it as being marketable,” said Dr. Serge Gauthier, director of the McGill Center for Studies in Aging, who led the study.

“It has not proven effective in large-scale studies and it is known to be toxic,” he said.