Drugs

Study Shows Viagra Promise in Alzheimer’s

A Cleveland Clinic study says sildenafil (Viatris’ Viagra for treating erectile dysfunction and Revatio for treating pulmonary hypertension) is a promising drug candidate to help prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Findings published by the Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute in Nature Aging said researchers used computational methodology to screen and validate FDA-approved drugs as potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.

They found that sildenafil is associated with a 69% reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, indicating the need for follow-up clinical testing of the drug’s efficacy in patients with the disease, they say.

“Notably,” said lead researcher Feixiong Chang, “we found that sildenafil use reduced the likelihood of Alzheimer’s in individuals with coronary artery disease, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes, all of which are comorbidities significantly associated with risk of the disease, as well as in those without.”

To further explore the drug’s effect on Alzheimer’s, the researchers developed an Alzheimer’s patient-derived brain cell model using stem cells. In the model, they say, they found that sildenafil increased brain cell growth and decreased hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins, a hallmark that leads to neurofibrillary tangles, offering biological insights into how sildenafil may influence disease-related brain changes.

The researchers say they are planning a mechanistic trial and Phase 2 clinical trial to test causality and confirm sildenafil’s clinical benefits for Alzheimer’s patients.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome