A surprising immune treatment may offer a new way forward
A new experimental nasal spray could reshape how we treat Alzheimer’s disease—by focusing on brain inflammation rather than just amyloid plaques or tau tangles.
For decades, most Alzheimer’s treatments have aimed to remove these protein buildups that disrupt memory and cognition. But growing evidence suggests that inflammation in the brain may play a critical role in the disease’s progression. Now, researchers are testing whether calming that inflammation can slow or even reverse some symptoms.
Why Brain Inflammation Matters
In healthy brains, immune cells work quietly to clear out waste and fight infection. But in Alzheimer’s disease, those same cells can become hyperactive. This immune overreaction—essentially the brain’s version of chronic inflammation—can damage neurons and accelerate decline.
Some scientists now believe this runaway inflammation could be just as important as amyloid and tau buildup. That’s where the new nasal spray comes in.
A Treatment from an Unlikely Source
The spray contains a monoclonal antibody called foralumab, originally developed to treat inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. The drug appears to calm overactive T cells—the immune system’s command center—and reduce harmful brain inflammation.
Because it’s delivered through the nose, the drug may bypass the blood-brain barrier, which normally blocks many medications from reaching brain tissue. Researchers say this method could allow for more targeted treatment with fewer side effects.
Early Results Offer Hope
According to a recent NPR report, the drug was tested on a man with early-stage Alzheimer’s as part of a small, single-patient study. While results are still extremely preliminary, imaging scans showed reduced brain inflammation, and the patient’s cognitive tests appeared to stabilize over a three-month period.
More importantly, the FDA has now approved a formal clinical trial. Researchers will study the treatment’s safety and effects in a larger group of Alzheimer’s patients to see if the early benefits hold up.
While it’s too soon to call this a breakthrough, the idea of calming the brain’s immune response—rather than fighting protein plaques alone—has many experts intrigued. If successful, this could represent a powerful new tool in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
