Marine Natural Products, Multitarget Therapy and Repurposed Agents in Alzheimer's Disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Marine Biology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss.
• Despite extensive research, effective treatments for AD remain elusive, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic avenues.

Purpose of the Study:

• This review highlights four key strategies for Alzheimer's disease treatment: marine natural products, combination therapy, multitargeted-directed ligand therapy (MTDL), and drug repurposing.
• It focuses on promising agents currently under investigation or in development for AD.

Main Methods:

• Review of current research and clinical trials on novel Alzheimer's disease therapeutic strategies.
• Identification and discussion of specific agents within each strategy, including marine-derived compounds, combination therapies, MTDL agents, and repurposed drugs.

Main Results:

• Marine natural products (MNP) offer unique chemical structures with potential for AD treatment, exemplified by GV-971, an acidic oligosaccharide that has completed Phase III trials.
• Combination therapy and MTDL strategies aim to modulate multiple pathways, with several agents in clinical trials.
• Drug repurposing presents a cost-effective and time-efficient approach, with various existing drugs being re-evaluated for AD therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

• Multiple innovative strategies, including MNP, combination therapy, MTDL, and drug repurposing, show promise for developing effective Alzheimer's disease treatments.
• The multifaceted nature of AD suggests that therapies targeting multiple pathways or utilizing novel compound sources are crucial for future success.