TauSafe: Stabilising the tau protein as a new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer’s disease : Date: , Theme: GO-Bio next
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is one of the greatest medical challenges of our time. Despite intensive research, there is as yet no treatment that can address the underlying cause of the disease’s progression. The GO-Bio next project TauSafe is developing an innovative active substance designed to stabilise the tau protein and thereby intervene at an early stage in the disease process.
A key protein in Alzheimer’s disease
More than 40 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s. The condition leads to a progressive loss of memory and cognitive abilities and causes considerable societal and economic burdens.
The tau protein plays a key role in the development of the disease. Under normal conditions, tau stabilises important structures within nerve cells. However, if its natural structure changes, the protein may fold incorrectly and combine to form harmful deposits. These processes are closely linked to the progressive loss of nerve cells and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.
Treatments approved to date have primarily focused on amyloid deposits in the brain. However, their clinical benefits have so far been limited. There is therefore a great need for new approaches to treatment that target the key mechanisms of the disease directly.
Focusing on stabilisation rather than tackling the consequences
The TauSafe project is pursuing a novel therapeutic approach. The drug candidate BQ-141 is intended to stabilise the natural structure of the tau protein and thereby prevent it from folding incorrectly. The aim is to intervene at an early stage of the disease and prevent the formation of disease-causing protein aggregates.
This approach differs fundamentally from many existing therapeutic concepts, as it targets an early disease-relevant mechanism of tau pathology directly. Successfully stabilising the protein could slow down or prevent the progression of the disease.
More on funded GO-Bio projects on the overview page