Introduction:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in general are facing an increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease due to the demographic shift in the aging population. However, there is a lack of funding, pharmaceutical research, and systems available to address debilitating brain disorders, which was emphasized at the first Global Health Summit in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. At the same time, there is a need for more efforts to involve Saudi Arabia in clinical trials aimed at combating the disease.
Alzheimer’s in Saudi Arabia:
Recent figures released by the Saudi Ministry of Health indicate that there are approximately 130,000 cases of Alzheimer’s disease in Saudi Arabia. The need to address this issue goes beyond just financial investment, as Diane Tai, the general director at the Milken Institute for the Future of Aging, stated that efforts must be made to improve care for Alzheimer’s patients, including early diagnosis, infrastructure to support caregivers, increasing the number of specialists in gerontology, and increasing staff to support caregivers to allow them to continue working.
Research and Cellular Gene Therapy:
Emerging treatments need urgent development of a global framework and close cooperation with all stakeholders – patients, specialists, and regulatory authorities in the pharmaceutical industry – to collectively address challenges. In this regard, Diane Tai highlighted the importance of research and drugs, stating that steps must be taken to improve the care of Alzheimer’s patients today, including early diagnosis, infrastructure to support caregivers, increasing the number of specialists in gerontology, and increasing staff to support caregivers to allow them to continue working. She also pointed out the importance of long-term innovations in gerontology to enhance health and allow caregivers and the elderly to remain in the workforce longer.
Is Cellular Gene Therapy the Solution?
Life Biosciences is one of the companies that may have the answer, as it announced progress in gene vision treatment, having significantly restored vision function in non-human primates suffering from eye damage caused by laser. The team injected special chemicals into the monkeys’ eyes, partially reprogramming the cells to a more youthful state. This significant advancement offers great hope for patients suffering from optic nerve disorders similar to stroke in the eye, typically occurring in patients over 50 years old. This technique could also aid in treating other age-related conditions in the eye, such as glaucoma.
Challenges and Solutions:
However, there are still barriers to conducting specific research that leads to tangible results. Fraser Hall, CEO and President of Biogen International, pointed out the main challenges in Alzheimer’s research and identified three pillars to address this challenge. He noted that advanced drugs are already showing improvement in “brain tangles” among Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers have hailed donanemab, a new drug, as a potential breakthrough in combating Alzheimer’s disease. According to clinical trials, this experimental drug indicates that it can slow the progression of the disease by up to 35 percent, representing a significant advancement in Alzheimer’s treatment. The drug targets the removal of amyloid protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Hall emphasized the importance of developing fundamental infrastructure and a clear vision, pointing to the necessity of political will and a clear vision like Saudi Vision 2030, which is dedicated to making Alzheimer’s a priority. He stressed the importance of setting clear goals and unifying the community, government, and private entities, and building infrastructure that supports the integration of new innovations into Alzheimer’s research.
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