News On Japan

Kyoto Researchers Launch Final Trial for Alzheimer’s Drug

KYOTO, Jun 05 (News On Japan) - Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) and pharmaceutical company Towa announced they began the final phase of clinical trials in May, aiming to treat Alzheimer’s disease using an existing medication.

In 2017, CiRA researchers discovered through iPS cell experiments that a drug originally used to treat Parkinson’s disease could reduce substances linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s. Subsequent clinical trials confirmed its effectiveness in patients, leading to the launch of the final-stage trials in collaboration with Towa in May.

The current trial targets patients with familial Alzheimer’s disease, a rare form of the condition known for its rapid progression.

"Including effective options among existing drugs could allow us to deliver treatments to patients much more quickly," said Professor Haruhisa Inoue of Kyoto University.

Inoue added that the team is aiming to obtain regulatory approval as soon as possible.

Source: KTV NEWS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Thick black smoke billowed across an expressway in Fukuoka on May 11th after a fire broke out beneath an elevated section of the road, temporarily blocking visibility for drivers and forcing a partial road closure.

Part of the exterior wall of a commercial building collapsed in Osaka on May 10th, causing a nearby highway signpost to topple onto a taxi in what authorities suspect may have been linked to the building’s aging condition.

A brown bear was caught on camera running at high speed through a residential area in Hokkaido, as sightings of unusually large bears continue to spread across the region this spring.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on May 7th that Tokyo has been selected as a host city for the Olympic Qualifying Series, where athletes will compete for places at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The "Okihiki" ceremony, in which citizens transport timber to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine ahead of its next Shikinen Sengu reconstruction seven years from now, began in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, on May 9th.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

A steam leak was detected early on May 8th at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant's Unit 3 in Fukui Prefecture, prompting Kansai Electric Power to manually shut down the reactor.

A nationwide effort to recover valuable resources is gaining momentum in Japan, where discarded personal computers are being transformed into a significant source of recycled gold.

An Okinawa-based company that developed a technology to preserve sea grapes for extended periods has received the Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award, which recognizes outstanding technologies and products.

Hokkaido Electric Power Co. said the restart of its Tomari nuclear power plant may be delayed from its original schedule after announcing on April 28 that completion of a seawall under construction at the plant is now expected to be around four months later than the initial target of three years from now.

A marine park in Hyogo Prefecture is presenting research findings in a live show demonstrating that a young dolphin can learn by imitating the movements of adults.

A strong earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5+ struck Hokkaido early on April 27, with no risk of a tsunami, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake occurred at around 5:24 a.m. and was centered in southern Tokachi. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.1 and a focal depth of about 80 kilometers.

SkyDrive and NEXCO West Japan have partnered to develop a flying car hub at the Beppu Bay Service Area in Oita Prefecture, aiming to launch operations in 2028 for sightseeing flights and other services.

Road cave-ins are occurring one after another across Japan. According to a survey released on April 22 by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, so-called dangerous sewer lines requiring urgent countermeasures now total 748 kilometers nationwide.