An early Alzheimer's signal: a therapy that lowers tau by up to 73%

Tau is the protein that tangles inside brain cells in Alzheimer's disease, and reaching it has frustrated drugmakers for years. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals reports interim early-stage data for ARO-MAPT, a treatment designed to quiet the gene that makes tau: in the first study results, levels of tau in spinal fluid fell by up to 73%, delivered with an injection under the skin using a platform built to cross into the brain. It is a Phase 1 signal in a small group, not a proven treatment — but a clear, measurable hit on a target that has long looked out of reach.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation