An experimental Alzheimer’s vaccine that stimulates the immune system to remove forms of amyloid proteins that accumulate in blood vessels appeared safe in a study of patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease.
People in the Phase II, 134 patient study were assessed a year after they received the first of 6 shots. When measured on a common test for cognitive impairment called the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), their disease slowed by a maximum of 38% in people who got the vaccines compared to placebo. That result was statistically significant. But a later review at 18 months and 24 months, which showed an 18% slowing of disease, was not.
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