Danone Research Moving Forward on Alzheimer’s Disease Management Product

Further findings announced at ICAD include results of pre-clinical research, investigating the effects of a multi-nutrient approach on the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.

30/07/08 New results announced at the International Congress on Alzheimer’s disease (ICAD) in Chicago indicate that a medical nutrition product (Souvenaid) may offer a new option in the management of people with mild Alzheimer’s disease. 
 
The randomised, double-blind, controlled trial led by Professor Scheltens, MD, PhD, of the VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, and sponsored by Danone Research, assessed the efficacy and safety of Souvenaid, a once-a-day drink containing a specific combination of nutrients (Fortasyn Connect) over 12 weeks. The results demonstrated that Souvenaid improves memory in mild Alzheimer’s, has a good safety profile and is well tolerated.
 
The researchers found a statistically significant benefit in mild Alzheimer’s patients on the delayed verbal memory task in the Souvenaid group.
 
“We’re very excited by these results and we look forward to further research on this product,” Scheltens said. “This is an innovative, completely different approach and we believe that medical nutrition products such as Souvenaid can be a valuable part of Alzheimer’s disease management. We’re committed to a high level of scientific rigour in the next trial to further test Souvenaid.”
 
These first results for Souvenaid are very encouraging and Danone Research will take the next step to continue the development programme with a second study, starting this year, to confirm initial findings.
 
“Souvenaid is backed by 10 years of research. Much of the conceptual work and early pre-clinical work was done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under Professor Richard Wurtman, and supported principally by the National Institutes of Health,” Scheltens added.
 
Further findings announced at ICAD include results of pre-clinical research, investigating the effects of a multi-nutrient approach on the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, and confirming laboratory evidence that a multi-nutrient approach may help to restore some of the neurological function that is damaged in Alzheimer’s disease.
 
“Pre-clinical research at MIT has shown that specific combinations of certain nutrients interact to enhance synapse formation and also improve cognitive function in several pre-clinical models” said Professor Wurtman.
 
These clinical trial results mark an important milestone in the Danone Research Programme and represent a potential new option in the management of Alzheimer’s disease for the future.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and eventually fatal disease of the brain and is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. AD is predicted to reach epidemic proportions by the later half of the 21st century. It is estimated that more than 26 million people have AD worldwide and with our ageing population this number is set to increase four-fold by 2050, by which time 1 in 85 persons worldwide will be living with AD. The number of cases of dementia increases dramatically with age: 1% of individuals 60–64 years of age, 24% to 33% of individuals 85 years or older. Worldwide, the total societal cost of dementia was recently estimated to be US $315.4 billion (Wimo A, Winblad B, Jonsson L. An estimate of the total worldwide societal costs of dementia in 2005. Alzheimer's and Dementia 2007;3(2):81-91).