Sopping up SAP

Researchers finally may have found a way to attack the amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. In last week's Nature, researchers published their efforts to develop therapeutics to treat amyloidosis, showing that their compound, CPHPC, depleted serum amyloid P component (SAP) (APCS) from both the blood and tissues of patients.

Due to its unique mechanism of action, CPHPC potentially could be used to treat both Type II diabetes and Alzheimer's (AD), which are associated with amyloid deposits in the islet cells and brain, respectively...