Delivery of Transthyretin (TTR) across the Blood Brain Barrier as a Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease

The invention describes products and methods of treating Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the formation of amyloid plaques and tangles in areas of the brain critical for learning and memory. The products are a transthyretin and other blood brain barrier impermeable proteins transformed into blood brain barrier permeable forms by the coupling of an Inter-Cellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) targeting agent. Transthyretin binds to, and inhibits amyloid protein from forming plaque deposits. Deposition of amyloid is thought to underlie the disease pathology of Alzheimer's. Thus, this invention treats Alzheimer's by inhibiting the formation of amyloid plaques, which normally would result in amyloid plaque formation, inflammation, and neuronal cell death.

CRADA Opportunity: The NIH Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC) is open to collaborating in order to further develop this invention. Please contact Dr. Juan Marugan at maruganj@mail.nih.gov for more information about collaborative research opportunities.

Source: http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2117

Amber Heard Amber Valletta America Ferrera Amerie Amy Cobb