Health
Experimental Alzheimer’s drug could reduce alcohol withdrawal damage, researchers say
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An investigational dementia drug may also ease alcohol withdrawal by calming the brain inflammation linked to addiction and relapse.
That’s according to researchers at the University of Kentucky, who studied an experimental medication called MW150 that targets a brain inflammation pathway known as p38α MAPK.
The drug, which has not yet been approved, is designed to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
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Scientists believe neuroinflammation may contribute to relapse risk and long-term neurological damage in people with alcohol use disorder.
In laboratory and animal-model experiments, MW150 was found to reduce certain inflammatory markers during alcohol withdrawal.
An investigational dementia drug may also ease alcohol withdrawal by calming the brain inflammation linked to addiction and relapse. (iStock)
The work, which was published in the journal Alcohol, came from the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, led by neuroinflammation researcher Linda Van Eldik.
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Caleb Bailey, Ph.D., co-author of the study and a researcher in Van Eldik’s lab, said the study provides “biological plausibility” that MW150 could mitigate neuroinflammation arising from alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol use disorder is difficult to treat because of high relapse rates, especially during withdrawal, according to Bailey.
Alcohol use disorder is difficult to treat because of high relapse rates, especially during withdrawal, according to the researchers. (iStock)
“If follow-up experiments reveal similar anti-inflammatory effects of MW150 in animal models of alcohol use disorder, it would provide a strong rationale for development of MW150 as a treatment for those struggling with chronic alcohol relapse due to alcohol withdrawal,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Along with a related drug called Neflamapimod, MW150 is already being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions, the researchers noted.
“That gives this work added significance,” Bailey said. “Because these compounds are already further along in development for other neurological diseases, it raises the possibility that they could someday be repurposed more efficiently for alcohol-related conditions if future studies continue to show promise.”
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There were some important caveats to the research, including that it was conducted in cell culture and animal models.
“Because they are ‘dish’-based models, they provide limited information regarding what happens in the full organism – or even the full brain for that matter,” Bailey said.
MW150, along with a related drug called Neflamapimod, is already being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. (iStock)
“A series of follow-up studies in living animals is required to more fully understand how future MW150 treatment in alcohol use and withdrawal affects systemic health and/or alcohol consumption.”
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Dr. Amy Swift, deputy chief medical officer at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut, was not involved in the study but shared her reactions to the findings.
“Although detoxification using tapering doses of medication has long been considered the evidence-based first step in treating alcohol use disorder, its impact on the long-term trajectory of a person’s drinking behavior has been limited,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Minimizing alcohol consumption … is the best strategy for staying healthy.”
“Put simply, detoxification does not treat alcohol use disorder itself; rather, it prevents the potentially fatal complications of alcohol withdrawal.”
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Adding supportive medications — especially those intended to improve overall brain health — could address an important gap in early treatment of detoxification, according to Swift.
“It is worthwhile to investigate whether reducing neuroinflammation could improve a patient’s ability to engage in treatment earlier in recovery and, in turn, meaningfully alter their long-term relationship with alcohol,” an expert said. (iStock)
“Given the profound inflammatory effects alcohol has across multiple organ systems, it is worthwhile to investigate whether reducing neuroinflammation could improve a patient’s ability to engage in treatment earlier in recovery and, in turn, meaningfully alter their long-term relationship with alcohol,” she added.
Bailey emphasized that no amount of alcohol consumption is good from a physical health standpoint.
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“We don’t currently have robust pharmacological treatments to mitigate damage caused by chronic alcohol consumption,” he said. “Minimizing alcohol consumption, therefore, is the best strategy for staying healthy.”
As the MW150 compound continues to be studied for dementia patients, Bailey saud, “information regarding the interaction between these drugs and alcohol — for better or for worse — will be important for patient outcomes.”
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A cure for cancer could be on the horizon in the next decade, according to experts.
During the WSJ Leadership Institute CEO Summit in London last week, Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato reflected on the pharmaceutical company’s projections on the future of cancer treatment.
In the next 10 years, the goal is to “try to eliminate cancer,” Duato shared.
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“That’s a high goal, and we are already making significant progress in certain cancers,” he said.
Duato used multiple myeloma as an example, noting that the life expectancy is currently 10 years, when it was previously “only single years.”
Joaquin Duato, chairman and CEO of Johnson and Johnson, speaks at the Punchbowl News Conference at Union Station on March 10, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
“We have treatments now that utilize your own immune system to attack the cancer,” he said at the summit. “For patients who were already going into hospice, so they didn’t have any other alternative, they are [at] more than five years, with a single administration, in remission. That [is] spectacular.”
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“When patients see that, they cannot believe that because they have been coming to the hospital every week [for] a decade, having multiple therapies.”
The goal is to “try to eliminate cancer” in the next 10 years, the pharmaceutical executive said. (iStock)
According to Duato, Johnson & Johnson is working to understand the biology of cancer growth and to formulate new technologies to address it.
“It’s realistic to believe that we are going to cure certain cancers, and some others we’re going to turn into chronic diseases,” he predicted.
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“Cancer is an important thing – I cannot think about anybody who has not been touched by cancer,” he went on. “But there are many other opportunities for us to actually advance science, to address very important social problems.”
Duato called out dementia as another “important problem” in need of a solution.
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He predicted that life expectancy, which has risen steadily over the past century, will continue to increase as longevity technologies and solutions advance, improving quality of life along the way.
Duato commented that J&J has been optimistic about the role artificial intelligence will play in the future of healthcare, calling it a “force multiplier.”
Biomarkers and AI can help with the earlier diagnosis of cancer, as well as a more advanced and personalized approach to surgery, a doctor noted. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel agreed with Duato’s outlook on the future of cancer care, noting that certain cancers will turn into chronic diseases while others will find outright cures.
“Advances [will be] based on the use of AI to help guide targeted treatments with expanding knowledge of cancer mutations and how to target them,” he predicted, speaking to Fox News Digital.
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Siegel added that biomarkers and AI can help with earlier diagnoses, as well as a more advanced and personalized approach to surgery.
J&J recently acquired Firefly Bio, a biotech firm that produces drugs that enter cancer cells to “target certain proteins that contain difficult to treat gene mutations,” the doctor added.
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Among those taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss, exercise rates are decreasing, according to new research.
The study, set to be presented at ENDO 2026 (the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting) in Chicago this week, found that adults with obesity who lost weight with a GLP-1, such as Ozempic or Wegovy, “significantly reduced” their physical activity.
In an Endocrine Society press release, study lead Sajana Maharjan, MD, of HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, noted that GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide and tirzepatide reduce both fat and lean muscle mass.
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This means physical activity is “essential for preserving strength and long-term health,” she said.
The study, reportedly the first of its kind, considered data from a National Institutes of Health research program that linked participant records with fitness tracker activity.
Researchers analyzed data from 753 people with obesity who initiated a GLP-1 medication. The cohort was mostly female, at a mean age of 52.7 years.
Among participants, the average number of steps decreased from 5,047 to 4,487 per day. (iStock)
Comparing activity in participants before and after beginning treatment, the average number of steps decreased from 5,047 to 4,487 per day. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity fell from 28 to 22 minutes per day, the study found.
The largest declines were observed in men and in those with joint or muscle pain. Other factors like age, heart failure or prior stroke did not change results.
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Although many people might assume that losing weight with these medications would lead to increased physical activity, the study found no evidence that it did, according to Maharjan.
“The findings in our study reinforce that exercise cannot be optional for people taking these medications,” he said. “People need targeted interventions that encourage physical activity alongside medication for obesity.”
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The study was retrospective and observational, meaning it could only display an association, not a direct cause. The participants were also mostly middle-aged women, which could limit the scope of who is most impacted, the researchers noted.
Other factors that were not measured include exercise habits before starting treatment, motivation levels and guidance from a physician.
Although many people might assume that losing weight with these medications would lead to increased physical activity, the study found no evidence that it did, according to the researcher. (iStock)
Dr. Peter Balazs MD, a hormone and weight-loss specialist practicing in New York and New Jersey, echoed in an interview with Fox News Digital that weight loss does not automatically lead to increased mobility or greater motivation to exercise.
“In fact, being in a calorie deficit can cause the body to conserve energy, resulting in a lower metabolic rate,” he said.
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“Additionally, side effects of weight-loss medications, such as nausea, fatigue or gastrointestinal discomfort, may further reduce a person’s ability or desire to be physically active,” the expert added.
For GLP-1 users, Balazs stressed that exercise “is not optional.” Patients must incorporate resistance training and regular daily movement, like walking, into their routine to “preserve lean muscle mass, maintain metabolic health and support long-term weight management,” he advised.
Exercise supports bone and joint health and enhances cardiovascular fitness, the researcher said. (iStock)
“Exercise plays a critical role during weight loss,” Balazs said. “Without adequate physical activity, a significant portion of weight loss may come from muscle rather than fat.”
The expert noted that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach, as the timing, intensity and type of workout should be individualized based on a person’s fitness level, health status and body composition.
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“This is particularly important for patients with a high BMI who may have mobility limitations or lower baseline fitness levels,” Balazs said. “It’s important to consider injury risk, long-term adherence and the potential for early burnout.”
Contrasting views
Board-certified internist and longevity expert Dr. Amanda Kahn said she disagrees with this study’s conclusions, as they do not reflect what she is seeing in her own clinical practice.
“Weight loss often serves as the impetus that motivates patients to become more physically active and more engaged in their overall health,” the New York-based expert told Fox News Digital.
Successful treatment requires regular follow-up, monitoring of protein intake, monthly weight checks, quarterly body composition scans and routine laboratory testing, an expert advised. (iStock)
“The success of GLP-1 therapy is directly tied to the expertise of the provider,” she went on. “When these medications are prescribed thoughtfully – with attention to nutrition, resistance training, body composition and laboratory monitoring – they can help patients lose weight while becoming healthier, stronger and more motivated to exercise.”
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Kahn, a peptide prescriber, does not recommend simply prescribing a GLP-1 medication and allowing the patient to “self-manage.”
“In my practice, if a patient is unable to exercise, is not meeting protein goals or shows concerning muscle loss on body composition analysis, I will often hold or adjust the medication – because preserving strength, function and metabolic health is just as important as weight loss,” she said.
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If a GLP-1 patient becomes too fatigued to exercise, develops nutritional deficiencies or loses excessive muscle mass, Kahn warned that this reflects a “monitoring problem” rather than a medication problem, as these medications “require close clinical oversight.”
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