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yesterday

HIV Drugs Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk, Prompting Calls for Clinical Trials

New research suggests nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors may reduce Alzheimer’s risk by up to 13% annually, with trials planned to confirm their potential and test a safer derivative drug.

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Overview

  • A study of over 270,000 patients with HIV or hepatitis B found that those taking nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) had a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Annual Alzheimer’s risk was reduced by 6% in the Veterans Health Administration cohort and by 13% in the MarketScan cohort for each year of NRTI use.
  • The drugs’ neuroprotective effects are thought to stem from their ability to block inflammasomes, key drivers of neuroinflammation linked to Alzheimer’s.
  • Researchers emphasize that the findings are observational and do not establish causation, underscoring the need for clinical trials to validate the results.
  • A new drug, K9, designed as a safer alternative to NRTIs, is already in trials for other conditions and will be tested specifically for Alzheimer’s disease.