The drug -- Bapineuzemab -- might have the power to stop the deterioration of brain function that is associated with Alzheimer's disease, said Dr. Michael McCartney, an internal medicine specialist who practices in Newburyport and is working on the drug's trial run at ActivMed Practices and Research at 1 Water St. Two patients are being treated with the new drug, which is administered intravenously, and 11 others have given their consent for the treatment, McCartney said.
Elan, the company that manufactures Bapineuzemab, picked Haverhill as a study site because of the city's large elderly population, said Terry Stubbs, chief executive officer of ActivMed.
The patients already enrolled in the trial were referred by their primary care physicians, who have been contacted by her company, Stubbs said. Patients enrolled in the trial pay nothing, Stubbs said.
Stubbs estimated it might take another three or four years of clinical trials before the drug is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Local providers of elderly services view the trial with optimism. Julian Rich, president of Penacook Place, a nursing and rehabilitation home serving more than 140 patients in Haverhill, said, "Anything that will stop the progression of Alzheimer's we would wholeheartedly endorse."
Many Penacook patients suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and Rich said the number of people struggling with the disease is growing.
If Bapineuzemab passes its clinical trial and receives FDA approval, that will be "absolutely wonderful," Rich said. Because of the increase in the number of people with Alzheimer's disease, Rich said there is "clearly a need" for more specialty units that treat those patients.
Theresa Chase, director of nursing at Baker-Katz Nursing Home, said if Bapineuzemab can stop the advance of Alzheimer's disease without dangerous side effects, that's "absolutely" good news. Many of the 72 patients at Baker-Katz struggle with the disease, and their families also suffer, she said.
"Of all the words that describe this disease, sadness stands out the most," said Chase, who has been a geriatric nurse since 1994. "It's a very sad disease."
Drugs currently given to Alzheimer's disease patients can slow its progress. It attacks the transmitters that send messages within the brain, McCartney said. He and other physicians hope Bapineuzemab can actually halt the disease's advance.
"We don't have any good therapies for preventing the decline of an Alzheimer's patient," McCartney said.
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The drug has already been tried in mice, McCartney said. It inhibits the further formation of plaque in the brain's neurotransmitters, he said.
For many Alzheimer's disease patients, genetics plays a key role. For example, the most famous Alzheimer's disease patient, former President Ronald Reagan, told friends he believed his mother also suffered from the disease.
A serious head injury can increase the risk of developing the disease, McCartney said.
Ever since Alzheimer's disease started receiving more publicity 20 or so years ago, people will often say something like, "I think I'm coming down with Alzheimer's," if they forget where they put something, such as their car keys, or fail to show up for an appointment.
Such incidents are probably cases of "benign forgetfulness," McCartney said, or perhaps an organizational problem. If you start to forget the names of close family members, however, you could be facing a form of dementia, he said.
Those who enroll in the study should be prepared for a substantial time commitment, Stubbs said. The first two visits are likely to require four hours each, she said, with one hour needed to receive the drug by IV, then three hours of being observed by medical staff. By the third visit, the time reduces to two hours, Stubbs said. Patients visit the ActivMed office every 13 weeks for 18 months, she said.
Each patient accepted into the study receives a health assessment as well as neurological and mental status exams. Brain scans and laboratory work also are done, Stubbs said.
Genetics has a lot to do with whether you're predisposed to develop Alzheimer's disease, experts say, but habits such as drinking alcohol, smoking and not exercising can help bring on dementia, McCartney said.
A study done in Europe found that people who walked four miles or more per day were 25 percent less likely to develop dementia than non-walkers, McCartney said.
Alzheimer's disease is generally thought of as an older person's disease. While most of those suffering from the disease are elderly, the first symptoms often strike between the ages of 40 and 60, McCartney said.
Anyone interested in participating in the trial may call Stubbs at 978-372-7252.
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