Oligomannate is a new drug that was recently approved by China for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s the first approval of its kind in almost two decades, and this drug has brought hope to millions of people who have Alzheimer’s disease.
The drug was jointly developed by Shanghai’s Institute of Materia Medica, China’s Academy of Sciences, and Green Valley, Ocean University. The US and EU have planned a pivotal trial for 2020, which will likely lead to requests for the drug’s approval in those countries.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or even a way to slow its progression, certain drugs, like Oligomannate, have proven effective in treating the disease’s symptoms to improve the quality of life of those suffering from the disease.
What You Need to Know About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that causes problems with thinking, memory, and behavior. It is the most commonly reported cause of dementia. In healthy patients, the brain cells have nerve cells that connect the different sections of the brain. They send information from the brain to all other areas of the body, and vice versa.
However, in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, the cells contain misformed proteins called beta-amyloid. These can’t be cleared as in healthy brains, but instead, they build up, clump together, and form plaques. Alzheimer’s typically progresses in three stages: Mild or Early Stage, Moderate or Middle Stage, and Severe or Later Stage.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges planning or solving specific problems
- Having a hard time completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with times or places
- Difficulty understanding visual images
- Trouble understanding spatial relationships
- Issues speaking or writing words
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Changes in personality or mood
But, since people are affected by the disease in different ways, the severity and timing of symptoms will vary from one individual to the next as they progress through the Alzheimer’s disease stages. A drug like Oligomannate helps to manage symptoms in all three phases of the disease.
How Does Oligomannate Work?
Oligomannate (GV-971) works straightforwardly by altering the gut microbiome’s bacteria to affect the brain’s specific changes. So far, this drug has been shown to perform exceptionally well in improving cognitive function for individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Oligomannate is derived from the extract of a type of seaweed known as marine brown algae. Although its action’s exact mechanism is yet to be uncovered, studies for safety and efficacy have shown that this oligosaccharide mixture from Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceuticals is an extremely effective therapy for Alzheimer’s.
Experts believe that the medication modulates the brain’s connection and the various bacterial communities in the gut microbiome. In preclinical studies conducted so far, the seaweed-derived drugs have significantly reduced harmful metabolites produced by the gut bacteria.
It helps to lessen inflammation and decrease the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, which, in turn, improves cognitive function in affected individuals.
How Effective is Oligomannate on the Different Alzheimer’s Stages?
This drug is taken orally, and it suppresses bacteria that cause inflammation in the brain and neural degeneration. Oligomannate was tested on 818 different people during trials, but according to doctors, it may not be sufficient to treat patients whose minds have degenerated beyond repair.
It means that if they have such severe symptoms as wandering, needing help bathing or using the bathroom, and so on, the condition may have progressed too far for the drug to be of much use. Therefore, the marine brown algae extract is most useful for those in the first or second stages of the disease.
Dementia vs. Alzheimer
Many people think that dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are the same, but there are some essential differences between them. Dementia is a term that is applied to the symptoms that impact memory negatively. It’s the name for specific brain disorders that make it difficult to remember things, think clearly, or make decisions.
Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, refers to a brain disease that slowly impairs cognitive function and memory. So while Alzheimer’s is one of the disorders that can be classified as dementia, there are many more types and causes of dementia. It isn’t just about simple memory loss, but also includes some of the following:
- Memory
- Communication
- Speech
- Focus
- Concentration
- Reasoning
- Judgment
- Visual Perception
Early Detection Matters
If you or a loved one notice any of these signs, you should share your observations with your doctor so that he can evaluate them properly. Although each of these symptoms alone isn’t a definite cause of concern, if you experience two or more of them, you need to see your doctor check if you may have Alzheimer’s.
Early detection of this condition is essential as it can make a massive difference in your treatment’s success.
The Final Verdict
If you suspect that you or a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor. Ensure that you inform him of all the symptoms, medication, previous illness, alcohol use, etc. to help him make the right diagnosis.
Once diagnosed, a drug like Oligomannate can prove extremely useful in treating the symptoms of this disease. It’s safe, well-tolerated, and has side effects that are similar to those of a placebo. It makes it one of the best medications for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Although the Chinese pharmaceutical beat out all the other countries to develop this promising new drug, millions of people living with Alzheimer’s worldwide can hope that it’s not likely to be long before other companies and countries follow suit in approving this miraculous drug.