Probucol in Alzheimer’s Disease Study

Led by John Curtin Distinguished Professor John Mamo and his team at Curtin University and the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Western Australia, the PIA Study is also expanding to other Australian jurisdictions.

The research team has discovered significant evidence that fat complexes in the bloodstream, enriched with amyloid protein, can harm brain capillaries, leading to inflammation, brain cell death, and the formation of amyloid plaques—key features of Alzheimer’s disease.

By targeting the metabolism of these fat-amyloid complexes in the bloodstream, there is potential to prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Probucol has emerged as a promising treatment, showing potential in reducing the production and leakage of these harmful molecules, protecting brain capillaries, and improving memory and cognitive function.

The PIA Study, supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund, Multiple Sclerosis Western Australia, McCusker Charitable Foundation and the Wen Giving Foundation has advanced to a clinical trial phase. This multi-centre trial is underway in Perth, WA (lead site), Hobart, Tasmania, and Adelaide, South Australia, moving us closer to a groundbreaking new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.