The biotechnology company Bioibérica and Fundació ACE Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades are launching a randomised, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new nutritional compound that could slow down memory loss in patients with mild Alzheimer’s.
This is the compound known as PRJ212, which contains various characterized bioactive ingredients and was entirely developed by Bioibérica researchers. Ten preclinical studies have demonstrated that it plays a decisive role in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and, specifically, have confirmed that its intake confers a significant degree of protection against the cognitive decline characteristic of the disease. “We have observed that this compound preserves different types of memory thanks to a new neuroprotective mechanism and could therefore be capable of preventing memory loss in patients with mild Alzheimer’s,” states Daniel Martínez, R&D Director of Bioibérica’s Human Health division and project leader, adding: “This neuronal protection effect does not only translate into memory improvements. Improvements have also been detected in other aspects associated with ageing, such as loss of hearing capacity.”
Bioibérica’s goal is to bring to market a “medical food”, a food for specific medical purposes that, when consumed regularly, helps prevent memory loss in patients with mild Alzheimer’s. “Numerous epidemiological studies indicate that nutrition plays an important role in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s, and that environmental dietary factors can be corrected through nutritional intervention, thus influencing the course of the disease,” explains Martínez. “Bioibérica wants to be a benchmark in prescription medical nutrition, which is why we are developing new medical foods, not only for Alzheimer’s but also in other therapeutic areas. We know it is an innovative approach, but we are convinced that the nutritional management of certain pathologies, in addition to being effective, can be efficient, easy to implement, and very safe,” declares José Escaich, CEO of Bioibérica. The principal investigator of the study in Spain will be Dr Mercè Boada, neurologist and medical director of Fundació ACE, who has actively collaborated in its design.
This is the first of three trials that Bioibérica expects to launch this year. The other two, which will be carried out in Europe and the United States, are currently undergoing approval. More than 35 million people worldwide suffer from some form of dementia, Alzheimer’s being the most common. It is estimated that more than one and a half million people suffer from this disease in Spain—a figure that could double by 2030. 
