Galanthamine has been known for some time as one of the few
effective treatments for patients at certain stages of
Alzheimer’s Disease, having been produced in its natural form
from plants found in the wild – principally in the Balkan
region.
This
natural alkaloid is currently in short supply and because of the
large number of potential patients (c. 700,000 currently in UK)
is a very expensive treatment in total for a health provider to
assume. In Scotland all patients who can benefit from it, and
from related drugs, have access on prescription, but in England
and Wales, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)
has decided to withdraw all anti-cholinesterase treatments from
the National Health Service as regards new patients, because of
the high total cost of branded medicines still subject to
restrictive product licence. That decision has caused an outcry
from sufferers and their families, and is being disputed in the
High Court. It may not be resolved until after the drugs are
able to be produced and sold in generic form.
Nevertheless, global demand for Galanthamine is expanding
rapidly. Alzeim expects to be able to provide much-needed extra
quantities of the drug at lower prices thereby enabling many
more patients to benefit from this treatment.
Field
trials, plant species and variety screening and laboratory
extraction, purification and analysis work undertaken initially
in co-operation with the
IGER institute of
University of Wales, Aberystwyth, indicated that a feasible
route existed to produce Galanthamine economically in special
regimes in parts of Mid-Wales. Since then, using novel
mechanization under unique agronomic conditions, Alzeim has
developed new production regimes with its own cultivars.
Among other academic collaborations Alzeim is working on
aspects of Galanthamine extraction and purification with the
University of Manchester.
