Pfizer bares new strides in Alzheimer's research

Pfizer neuroscientists have unveiled new approaches in combating Alzheimer’s disease, targeting prospects of either halting or slowing down the progress of the devastating illness.

Alzheimer’s is also considered a major Philippine health concern due to the growing elderly population. The Alzheimer’s Disease Association of the Philippines (ADAP) forecast that by 2030 more Filipinos will be at risk with the disease.

“It is well established that the incidence of AD increases exponentially above 65 years old, and by 2030, 14.5 million Filipinos will be at risk of AD,” Dr. Socorro Martinez, ADAP president, noted at the ADAP website.

Pfizer Inc. has presented nine abstracts from its Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research and development program, including three on the two promising investigational therapies in the early stages of development, at the recently concluded 2008 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) in Chicago.

“With the expected huge increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide in the next 25 year, Pfizer’s neuroscience team has made this devastating illness our highest priority,” said Dr. Liam Ratcliffe, senior vice president and development head for Pfizer Neuroscience.

“With new insights into the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s discovered in only the past few years, our scientists are working to develop new medicine that improve memory and other cognitive function, and importantly halt or significantly slow the progression of the disease. We are also working on approaches that could lead to earlier and better diagnosis,” Ratcliffe added.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder characterized by the gradual loss of memory and a decline in cognitive ability, changes in behavior, and a loss in ability to carry out daily activities.

It places a tremendous burden on patients, those caring for them, and healthcare systems, costing the US government more than $148 billion annually.

Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the world’s most undiagnosed diseases, with only one-third of the world’s approximately 18 million receiving treatment.

Pfizer is the world’s top ranking investor in research and development with a total expenditure of $8.18 billion last year, according to the European Commission.

It is the leader among the four biggest US R&D investors engaged in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Pfizer’s search for new treatments spans hundreds of research projects across 17 therapeutic areas.

Approximately 13,000 scientists and support staff are working in nine research and development facilities in five countries to discover new medicines.