A New Alzheimers Drug Is Helping Patients Remember and Scientists Are Stunned

Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the most challenging neurodegenerative disorders to treat, but new research from UCLA Health suggests a hopeful breakthrough. Scientists have developed a new compound, DDL-357, that may improve memory and protect brain function by boosting levels of a protein called clusterin.

Clusterin plays a critical role in the brain’s defense system. It helps prevent the buildup of harmful substances like amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles—two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. By enhancing the production of this natural brain protector, DDL-357 could offer a new kind of clusterin Alzheimer’s therapy.

What Is Clusterin and Why Does It Matter?

Clusterin (also called sCLU when secreted) is a protein that supports brain health. It’s been linked to better removal of toxic proteins and overall cellular protection. Researchers have known for over a decade that a genetic variation in the clusterin gene increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. That means boosting clusterin could help fight off the disease at its roots.

In the UCLA study, mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms received DDL-357. The results were encouraging: the drug reduced levels of a toxic form of tau protein, improved energy production in brain cells, and helped the mice perform better in maze-based memory tests.

How Clusterin Alzheimer’s Therapy May Improve Brain Function

What sets DDL-357 apart is its dual action: it not only helps clean up damaging proteins but also appears to restore some of the brain’s ability to form and recall memories. UCLA researchers noted that treated mice showed stronger performance in cognitive tests and had healthier mitochondria, which are essential for powering brain activity.

This suggests that future Alzheimer’s therapies might not just slow down decline, but potentially reverse some aspects of it. That’s a major leap beyond current treatments, which mainly focus on symptom management.

The Future of Alzheimer’s and Beyond

Although DDL-357 is still in early stages of development and not yet ready for human trials, its potential is exciting. Researchers believe this clusterin-targeting drug could complement existing Alzheimer’s therapies and possibly extend its benefits to other brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease and ALS.

Other experimental compounds, such as DDL-920 and DDL-218, are also being explored for their ability to enhance brain proteins linked to memory and cognition. Together, these findings open up new avenues for personalized and protective treatments in neurodegenerative care.

Discover more at interventionalpsychiatry.org

Citations:

1. John V, et al. (2025). Discovery of a small molecule secreted clusterin enhancer that improves memory in Alzheimer’s disease mice. npj Drug Discovery. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41698-025-00356-1

2. UCLA Health. (2025, May 21). New Alzheimer’s Drug Boosts Brain Protection, Restores Memory. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/alzheimers-clusterin-drug-discovery