New Drug Could Halt Alzheimer's

British researchers believe a new drug has the potential to stop Alzheimer's disease in its tracks, reports the BBC. Testing found that the drug, called CPHPC, removed a protein thought to play a key role in Alzheimer's from the blood and, unexpectedly, the brain, in five patients treated for 3 months. The research—still in its early stages—was hailed by experts as grounds for “cautious optimism."

“A key characteristic of Alzheimer's disease is the clumping together of proteins in the brain,” said the head of research at the Alzheimer's Society. "It's very exciting that this drug could potentially interfere with this process, but it's too early to say how much it will benefit people with the disease." (More Alzheimer's disease stories.)