Groundbreaking Alzheimer’s Pill Offers New Hope for Patients in the UK

A groundbreaking new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, developed by Aberdeen-based pharmaceutical company TauRX, could soon be available on the NHS, offering hope to millions of individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases.

The daily oral medication, Hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM), is designed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s by targeting a key protein associated with the disease.

If approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), HMTM would represent a major milestone in dementia care, marking one of the most significant advancements for NHS patients in decades.

Unlike many current treatments that focus on amyloid plaques, HMTM targets the tau protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. By preventing the aggregation of tau into harmful tangles within the brain, the drug aims to mitigate cognitive decline and reduce brain atrophy in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.

Preclinical studies and recent Phase 3 trial data have shown promising results. The LUCIDITY trial, a 24-month study conducted by TauRX, revealed that:

• Patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s experienced sustained cognitive improvements and a normalization of brain atrophy rates.
• For those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, HMTM stabilized cognitive and functional abilities while significantly slowing brain atrophy compared to historical data.
• The treatment was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events or imaging abnormalities related to the drug.

These findings underscore the potential of HMTM as a safe and accessible treatment option, suitable for routine clinical care without requiring costly monitoring for side effects.

Professor Claude Wischik, Executive Chairman of TauRX and a leading expert in tau-based research, has dedicated nearly 40 years to understanding and combating Alzheimer’s. His groundbreaking discovery of tau tangles as a key driver of the disease laid the foundation for HMTM’s development.

Since establishing TauRX in 2002 as a spin-out from the University of Aberdeen, Professor Wischik has remained at the forefront of efforts to develop innovative therapies targeting tau pathology.

Reflecting on the recent progress, Professor Wischik said, “This is a significant milestone for TauRX and an important step in potentially bringing new hope to patients and families affected by this devastating disease. The ability to intervene at an early stage could fundamentally change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s for many individuals.”

HMTM has been designated for the UK’s Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP), positioning the UK as a potential first market for the drug’s introduction. In July this year TauRX submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency  (MHRA), and if approved, the treatment could soon become a lifeline for those in the early and moderate stages of Alzheimer’s.

This announcement follows recent controversies surrounding the rejection of two other Alzheimer’s drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, by NICE due to high costs and intensive monitoring requirements. Unlike these therapies, HMTM’s oral formulation and focus on tau pathology offer a simpler, more affordable alternative that could be transformative for NHS dementia care.