Alzheimer's patient benefiting from clinical trial


A Florida woman who has suffered from Alzheimer's disease for about 10 years has credited her husband and an experimental drug for her survival, MSNBC.com reports.


Betty Mills is being treated with an antibody that was developed to attack proteins in the brain that some scientists believe form as a result of the debilitating disease, according to the article.


Alzheimer's patient benefiting from clinical trial Mills' physician, Dr Frederick Schaerf, said he hopes the compound changes the course of the disease.


The drug is administered to Mills via an IV and put directly into her blood stream. Past research has shown scientists having difficulty getting medication to the brain because of the protective barrier around the organ.


While Mills has undergone other treatments for the disease, she told the news provider she has faith in this one, a sentiment that was echoed by her husband Ed.


"With the injection as opposed to oral, it's in the blood stream, the head. This is the best chance we've got," Ed told MSNBC.com.


Clinical trials, while experimental, offer a chance for some patients to receive experimental drugs that may improve or treat the symptoms of their condition.


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