第2023期:Researchers Return to Alzheimer's Vaccines

Researchers are renewing efforts to find Alzheimer’s disease treatments that remove harmful proteins from the brain. Such vaccines could possibly offer an easier and lower-cost choice for millions of people, several scientists and industry leaders say. 

研究人员正在继续努力寻找消除大脑中有害蛋白质的阿尔茨海默病治疗方法。几位科学家和行业领袖表示，此类疫苗可能为数百万人提供更简单、成本更低的选择。 

The brain-wasting disease causes thinking and memory problems.

这种脑消耗性疾病会导致思维和记忆问题。 

The U.S. government website ClinicalTrials.gov shows that at least seven possible Alzheimer’s vaccines are in human testing or have completed such trials. The experimental treatments are designed to use the body’s natural defense system to destroy Alzheimer’s-linked proteins in the brain. The proteins are beta amyloid and tau. 

美国政府网站ClinicalTrials.gov显示，至少有七种可能的阿尔茨海默病疫苗正在进行人体测试或已经完成此类试验。这些实验性治疗旨在利用人体的自然防御系统来破坏大脑中与阿尔茨海默病相关的蛋白质。这些蛋白质是β淀粉样蛋白和tau蛋白。 

The renewed interest in Alzheimer’s vaccines follows a promising first attempt more than 20 years ago. That vaccine work halted after six percent of study volunteers developed a life-threatening brain condition called meningoencephalitis. 

继 20 多年前首次尝试后，人们对阿尔茨海默病疫苗重新产生了兴趣。在百分之六的研究志愿者患上一种名为脑膜脑炎的危及生命的脑部疾病后，疫苗工作停止了。 

Researchers then found a safer method using closely targeted synthetic antibodies in patients. These antibodies avoid extreme immune system reaction. 

研究人员随后找到了一种更安全的方法，在患者体内使用紧密靶向的合成抗体。这些抗体避免了极端的免疫系统反应。 

Health care companies Eisai and Biogen launched a new medication called Leqembi and health care company Eli Lilly launched Donanemab. American government drug experts are reviewing the treatments. 

医疗保健公司卫材 (Eisai) 和百健 (Biogen) 推出了一种名为 Leqembi 的新药，医疗保健公司礼来 (Eli Lilly) 推出了 Donanemab。美国政府药物专家正在审查这些治疗方法。 

The reported success of the drugs has strengthened the theories that amyloid removal is critical to fighting Alzheimer’s. 

这些药物的成功报道强化了这样的理论：去除淀粉样蛋白对于对抗阿尔茨海默病至关重要。 

Scientists believe they now understand what went wrong with the first vaccine. They are testing shots they hope will cause an immune reaction without causing too much inflammation. 

科学家相信他们现在明白第一种疫苗出了什么问题。他们正在测试注射剂，希望能引起免疫反应，而又不会引起太多炎症。 

Dr. Reisa Sperling is an Alzheimer’s researcher at Mass General Brigham in Boston. She said she believes vaccines will play an important part as researchers look to prevent Alzheimer’s. She said, “I'm very keen that that's where we need to go.” 

Reisa Sperling 博士是波士顿麻省总医院的阿尔茨海默病研究员。她说，她相信疫苗将在研究人员寻求预防阿尔茨海默病时发挥重要作用。她说：“我非常热衷于这就是我们需要去的地方。” 

Sperling is leading a trial in people with Alzheimer’s proteins in their brains but showing no signs of related problems. She is considering vaccines for her next study in people who have Alzheimer’s proteins in their blood, but not enough to show on imaging of the brain. 

斯珀林正在领导一项针对大脑中含有阿尔茨海默病蛋白但没有显示出相关问题迹象的人的试验。她正在考虑在下一项研究中使用疫苗，该研究的对象是血液中含有阿尔茨海默病蛋白的人，但这些蛋白不足以在大脑成像中显示出来。 

Alzheimer’s vaccines are still in the early stages and will require large, years-long trials to show they work. 

阿尔茨海默病疫苗仍处于早期阶段，需要进行长达数年的大规模试验才能证明它们有效。 

But a vaccine given two or four times a year could offer a lower-cost solution than Leqembi. Leqembi is given twice a month. That could expand available treatment among the estimated 39 million people around the world with Alzheimer’s. 

但每年注射两到四次的疫苗可以提供比 Leqembi 成本更低的解决方案。Leqembi 每月给予两次。这可以扩大全球约 3900 万阿尔茨海默病患者的可用治疗范围。 

Dr. Walter Koroshetz is director of the part of U.S. National Institutes of Health that deals with disorders involving the brain. He said of the vaccines, “They could be worldwide, and not that expensive.” 

沃尔特·科罗谢茨 (Walter Koroshetz) 博士是美国国立卫生研究院处理大脑疾病部门的主任。他谈到这些疫苗时说：“它们可能是全球性的，而且不会那么贵。”