Alzheimer's disease current therapies, novel drug delivery systems and future directions for better disease management

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), is a neurodegenerative disorder that escalates with time, exerting a significant impact on physical and mental health and leading to death. The prevalence of AD is progressively rising along with its associated economic burden and necessitates effective therapeutic approaches in the near future. This review paper aims to offer an insightful overview of disease pathogenesis, current FDA-approved drugs, and drugs in different clinical phases. It also explores innovative formulations and drug delivery strategies, focusing on nanocarriers and long-acting medications (LAMs) to enhance treatment efficacy and patient adherence. The review also emphasizes preclinical evidence related to nanocarriers and their potential to improve drug bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics parameters, while also highlighting their ability to minimize systemic side effects. By providing a comprehensive analysis, this review furnishes valuable insights into different pathophysiological mechanisms for future drug development. It aims to inform the development of treatment strategies and innovative formulation approaches for delivering existing molecules in Alzheimer's disease, ultimately striving to improve patient compliance.

Keywords: AChE inhibitors; Advanced drug delivery; Alzheimer's disease; Anti-amyloid antibodies; Long-acting injectables; NMDA receptor blockers; Nanocarriers; Neurodegenerative diseases.