Refining an Alzheimer’s vaccine to avoid an inflammatory response

Abstract

The utility of vaccine strategies to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease may still hold promise. Phase IIa clinical trials were halted due to a small but significant occurrence of meningoencephalitis. Knowledge gained from studies on amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) immunotherapy will allow optimisation of new-generation vaccines, targeting highly specific epitopes while reducing undesired side effects. In harnessing and steering the immune system, an effective response can be generated against Aβ, one that might have attenuated immune responses with robust disease-altering activity.

Keywords::

• Alzheimer’s disease
• amyloid
• immunisation
• inflammation
• vaccine

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Erratum