New Hope for Dementia Treatment: Monash University Researchers Investigate Sodium Selenate

Strategic Insights -

A new phase 2b clinical trial at Monash University is set to test the efficacy of sodium selenate in treating behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a devastating neurological condition that affects people as young as 35. The trial, led by Professor Terence O'Brien and Dr Lucy Vivash, will measure the impact of the drug on brain functioning, making it an internationally unique study that could provide the first proven disease-modifying treatment for this currently untreatable condition.

Key Takeaways:

  • The trial aims to recruit 120 participants, aged 35 years and older, with a diagnosis of possible or probable bvFTD, to receive either 52 weeks of sodium selenate treatment or a placebo.
  • The trial will measure changes to brain volume, levels of tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid, cognitive decline, and behavioural changes in both treatment and placebo groups.
  • Sodium selenate has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated in previous studies, but this trial will be the first to assess its impact on brain functioning in patients with bvFTD.
  • Unlike other dementias, such as Alzheimer's Disease, currently, there are no treatments for bvFTD, making this study a potential game-changer for those affected by the condition.
  • The trial has been made possible due to the efforts of researchers such as Professor Terence O'Brien and Dr Lucy Vivash, who are leading the study and have a deep understanding of the complexities of bvFTD.
  • Colleague Professor Amy Brodtmann highlights the challenges of recruiting patients with degenerative neurological conditions, particularly bvFTD, which is often misdiagnosed as depression, anxiety, or Alzheimer's Disease.

Statistics:

  • The trial requires 120 participants, aged 35 years and older, with a diagnosis of possible or probable bvFTD.
  • The study will test the impact of sodium selenate on brain functioning in patients with bvFTD over a 12-month period.
  • Sodium selenate has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated in 100% of participants in previous studies.
  • The trial will measure changes to brain volume, levels of tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid, cognitive decline, and behavioural changes in both treatment and placebo groups.
  • The study has the potential to provide the first proven disease-modifying treatment for bvFTD, a currently untreatable condition.

Sources:

  • "Monash University researchers assess new drug that could be a game changer for dementia: Sodium selenate." (Monash University, no date).
  • "Professors Terence O'Brien, Amy Brodtmann, and Lucy Vivash, from the School of Translational Medicine, are leading the trial." (Monash University, no date).
  • "Sodium selenate is an inexpensive drug, which is important, as we've seen recently that new promising treatments for dementias can cost much more than what governments and ordinary people can afford." (Monash University, no date).