More than 900 new medicines are in development to treat the diseases of aging, according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
“As life expectancy increases, older Americans face challenges to their health, productivity and independence. Research-based pharmaceutical companies are actively searching for treatments and cures to help patients live healthier lives as they age,” said PhRMA president and CEO Billy Tauzin.
The new medicines in development for diseases of aging include 146 medicines for heart disease and stroke and 399 for cancer. Alzheimer’s disease alone could afflict 16 million people by the middle of this century unless a cure or new treatments are found; research-based pharmaceutical companies are currently developing 27 medicines to treat it. Nineteen medicines are being researched to treat depression, which affects an estimated 6.5 million Americans 65 and older; 48 for diabetes, of which half of all cases occur in people over age 55; 20 for osteoporosis, a major health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans age 50 and older; and 17 for Parkinson’s disease, 60,000 new cases of which are diagnosed each year, informs a PhRMA release.
Other medicines in development target bladder and kidney diseases, eye disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, osteoarthritis, pain, prostate disease, respiratory and lung disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions and other conditions of aging. Many use cutting-edge technology and knowledge to attack diseases in new and different ways. For instance, a potential medicine blocks the new growth of abnormal leaky blood vessels that cause one form of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65. Another for Alzheimer’s, inhibits plaque formation and blocks the degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which could interfere with progression of Alzheimer’s as well as improves memory.
All of these medicines are either in human clinical trials or are awaiting the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration.
“Families with aging parents, grandparents and other loved ones can all draw a measure of hope from knowing that this important research is underway,” added Tauzin.