REPORT: Doctors discover drug already on the market ‘could prevent 1 million new cases of Alzheimer’s’ a year

May 13, 2025

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From the New York Post: Alzheimer’s affects nearly 7 million Americans, a number that’s expected to spike to 13.9 million by 2060.

Given the devastating effects of this incurable disease, the hunt is on for a drug that could help prevent or slow its progression.

Now, a new study has found that nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) — a common class of medications for HIV — could dramatically decrease the risk of developing this neurodegenerative disorder.

Analyzing data from over 270,000 patients aged 50 and older, researchers observed that the risk of Alzheimer’s decreased by 6% to 13% for each year the patients were on NRTIs.

According to the report, an estimated 10 million people worldwide develop Alzheimer’s disease annually. However, the results of the study indicate approximately 1 million new cases of Alzheimer’s disease may be prevented each year, according to Jayakrishna Ambati, founding director of the University of Virginia Center for Advanced Vision Science.

Just as NRTIs are used to prevent HIV from replicating inside the body, the same drugs are also found to work in a similar matter with Alzheimer’s disease.