Washington University in St. Louis and AstraZeneca Announce Alzheimer's Research Col...( ST. LOUIS and WILMINGTON Del. Apr...),Health

ST. LOUIS, and WILMINGTON, Del., April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) have announced a research collaboration that aims to develop new and improved ways to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease.

The major focus of the alliance will be biomarkers, characteristic changes in the brain and spinal fluid, that physicians can use to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and track its response to treatment. "Alzheimer's disease is already a huge public health problem that is increasing exponentially," says David M. Holtzman, M.D., the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at the School of Medicine, and neurologist-in-chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "To prevent this disease with new treatments that are currently on the horizon, we need better ways to diagnose the disease before people become cognitively impaired. We are pleased to be collaborating with AstraZeneca on this important initiative."

"AstraZeneca is focused on transforming cutting edge science into meaningful medicines. Collaborating with Washington University gives us access to world-class expertise in the area of Alzheimer's disease and allows us to explore together potential new ways to help patients suffering from this terrible disease," says Bob Holland, Vice President for Neuroscience at AstraZeneca.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and affects as many as 5 million Americans(1). Little is known about what causes Alzheimer's disease or how it progresses in patients, and the condition has always been difficult for physicians to definitively diagnose. In addition, studies by Washington University an
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