Repurposing drugs against Alzheimer's disease: can the anti-multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (FTY720) effectively tackle inflammation processes in AD?

by Selleckchem | Apr 30 2023

Therapeutic approaches providing effective medication for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients after disease onset are urgently needed. Previous studies in AD mouse models and in humans suggested that physical exercise or changed lifestyle can delay AD-related synaptic and memory dysfunctions when treatment started in juvenile animals or in elderly humans before onset of disease symptoms. However, a pharmacological treatment that can reverse memory deficits in AD patients was thus far not identified. Importantly, AD disease-related dysfunctions have increasingly been associated with neuro-inflammatory mechanisms and searching for anti-inflammatory medication to treat AD seems promising. Like for other diseases, repurposing of FDA-approved drugs for treatment of AD is an ideally suited strategy to reduce the time to bring such medication into clinical practice. Of note, the sphingosine-1-phosphate analogue fingolimod (FTY720) was FDA-approved in 2010 for treatment of multiple sclerosis patients. It binds to the five different isoforms of Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) that are widely distributed across human organs. Interestingly, recent studies in five different mouse models of AD suggest that FTY720 treatment, even when starting after onset of AD symptoms, can reverse synaptic deficits and memory dysfunction in these AD mouse models. Furthermore, a very recent multi-omics study identified mutations in the sphingosine/ceramide pathway as a risk factor for sporadic AD, suggesting S1PRs as promising drug target in AD patients. Therefore, progressing with FDA-approved S1PR modulators into human clinical trials might pave the way for these potential disease modifying anti-AD drugs.

Comments：

There is a pressing need for effective medication to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and previous studies have suggested that physical exercise and lifestyle changes can delay AD-related dysfunctions. However, a pharmacological treatment that can reverse memory deficits in AD patients has not been identified. Recent research has increasingly associated AD-related dysfunctions with neuro-inflammatory mechanisms, and searching for anti-inflammatory medication to treat AD seems promising. Repurposing FDA-approved drugs is an effective strategy to reduce the time to bring such medication into clinical practice.

The sphingosine-1-phosphate analogue fingolimod (FTY720), which is FDA-approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, is a promising candidate for treating AD. Recent studies in five different mouse models of AD suggest that FTY720 treatment, even when starting after onset of AD symptoms, can reverse synaptic deficits and memory dysfunction in these AD mouse models. A very recent multi-omics study has identified mutations in the sphingosine/ceramide pathway as a risk factor for sporadic AD, further supporting the potential of S1PRs as a drug target for AD patients.

Therefore, progressing with FDA-approved S1PR modulators, such as FTY720, into human clinical trials might pave the way for these potential disease modifying anti-AD drugs.