The first ever drug formulated to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease will be unveiled this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC).
The drug called solanezumab has undergone clinical trials and the results will be presented at the conference this Wednesday in Washington, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The results will indicate if pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company's drug will be effective in treating dementia and slow the progression of Alzheimer's.
Currently, treatments used for Alzheimer's can only ease the symptoms, but it doesn't do well when it comes to slowing down the progression.
Alz.org stated that approximately 5.3 million Americans of all age groups have the disease in 2015. In the U.S., Alzheimer's places sixth among the leading causes of death.
Of the 10 leading causes of death in America, Alzheimer's is the only one that "cannot be prevented, slowed or cured."
The drug industry has failed several times in cracking the mystery to Alzheimer's as science has not fully understood its cause.
However, according to the latest theory in research, the buildup up of beta-amyloid, a sticky protein in the brain, is likely the cause.
Eli Lilly's solanezumab was formulated to bind to amyloid plaques and clear them out of the brain.
Initial trials of solanezumab have failed to show positive response, but when researchers reviewed the data, they found that people with mild symptoms have benefited from the drug, which led to a new study.
Several organizations are dedicated to discover the ultimate cure to Alzheimer's disease and there are also organizations that now claim they have found tests that can detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
The AAIC presentation is just a few days away and if the report from Eli Lilly on Wednesday will be a success, it will be a huge step forward in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
