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Merck researchers: Growth hormone may not help Alzheimer's
18 Nov 2008
Clinical Research
A growth hormone which had shown encouraging results in mice does not appear to reduce human symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists administered the investigational compound called MK-677 to patients in order to boost their levels of another hormone known as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), according to the study published in the Neurology journal.
Although they found that it did indeed have the desired effect of boosting levels of IGF-1, patients did not however show a significant improvement in their Alzheimer's disease symptoms.
Study author JJ Sevigny, of Merck Research Laboratories, said the team's research suggests that "targeting this hormone system may not be an effective approach" for slowing the progression of the disease.
"Importantly it challenges the common theory that hormones may attack beta-amyloid plaque in the brain," the expert added.
Meanwhile, Merck has announced its intention to voluntarily delist its shares from the Nasdaq OMX, formerly known as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
The drugs giant said its common shares will continue to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
