Dec 20, 2025
3 min read
The compound developed by scientists was able to reduce inflammation and the accumulation of harmful proteins before clinical signs appeared
An experimental drug developed by Northwest University has been able to slow the early progression of Alzheimer's in animal models, Medical Xpress reports.The compound, called NU-9, manages to reduce both brain damage and the accumulation of toxic proteins before the first symptoms of the disease appear, which opens the door to new prevention and treatment strategies in the early stages.
In the study, published on December 18, 2025, the research team administered NU-9 to mice at a stage before symptoms issued.For 60 days, the animals received a daily dose of the drug mouth.
The results showed a significant reduction in reactive astrogliosis, an inflammatory response that usually occurs long before memory loss.There was also a significant reduction in the number of toxic amyloid beta oligomers, small protein clumps associated with nerve damage, and the presence of an abnormal form of the TDP-43 protein, which is associated with cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative diseases.These positive effects were observed in many areas of the brain, suggesting a broad anti-inflammatory effect, Medical Xpress reports.
NU-9's mechanism of action focuses on targeting the most damaging subtypes of amyloid beta oligomers recently identified by Northwestern scientists.This difference is seen in neurons and astrocytes - cells responsible for protecting neurons and controlling inflammation - early in the disease.
When these oligomers bind to astrocytes, they trigger an inflammatory cascade that spreads throughout the brain long before symptoms appear.NU-9 was able to significantly reduce this subtype, which can inhibit the destructive activity of astrocytes and, consequently, slow down the neurodegenerative process.
"NU-9 had a remarkable effect on reactive astrogliosis, which is the essence of neuroinflammation and is associated with the early stages of the disease," said William Klein, professor of neurobiology and co-author of the study, in a statement to Medical Xpress.
The importance of intervening before symptoms begin is highlighted in the context of many failures in previous clinical trials, which often began when brain damage had already developed.Daniel Kranz, first author of the study, explained to Medical:
Kranz added that, in this work, the drug was administered in a pre-symptomatic window, which could be the key to future treatment success.Klein himself stated that, in Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cells suffer from the accumulation of toxic proteins and NU-9 "saves the path that saves cells".
The development of NU-9 dates back nearly fifteen years, as part of the efforts of Richard Silverman, professor of chemistry and founder of Akava Therapeutics, to find molecules that can prevent the buildup of harmful proteins in neurodegenerative diseases.Silverman, who is also the inventor of pregabalin (Lyrica), led the creation of NU-9, which has already shown efficacy in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and has been approved for human clinical trials of the disease in 2024. Previous studies have shown the compound's ability to eliminate toxic oligomers in cultured brain cells from the hippocampus, for learning memory cells.
Looking ahead, the Northwestern University team plans to extend the NU-9 test to other animal models, including one that mimics the early stages of Alzheimer's, representative of human aging.In addition, researchers will follow the treated animals for a long time to assess whether they experience symptoms and how the brain health and memory improve later.
According to Medical Xpress, he also plans to study the drug's effects with early diagnostic tests, such as blood tests that are being developed to detect biomarkers of the disease.
The possibility of giving NU-9 to people with early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, before symptoms develop.Represents a paradigm shift in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.If future trials confirm its effectivenessThis approach may offer new hope for people with risk factors.It allows action to be taken before brain damage becomes irreversible.
