Existing drug 'could cure Alzheimer's'

A Manchester-based pharmaceutical company has patented a drug it believes may be a cure for Alzheimer's disease.

PharmaKure specialises in "drug repositioning" - finding new uses for drugs that have previously been utilised for other conditions, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Now its founders, Dr Farid Khan and Professor Andrew Doig, have patented their first drug, PK-048, and believe it could well be a cure for the neurodegenerative condition.

Dr Kahn said: "PK-048 was first discovered in the 1980s as a drug candidate for Parkinson's disease though it has never been previously tested for Alzheimer's."

The company has tested the treatment on human cells and found indications it can block the harmful proteins known to cause Alzheimer's.

It is now seeking investment to fund further testing and clinical trials of the drug.

Drug repositioning has been responsible for several well-known treatments reaching the market, including Viagra and Requip.

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