What’s Next?
With animal studies completed, human clinical studies are next. How soon that could happen will depend on ethical clearance and financial support, the researchers said.
An “interesting next step,” said Dr. Chen, would be to give the gel to mice with a genetic mutation in ALDH2. The mutation makes it harder to process acetaldehyde, often causing facial redness. Prevalent among East Asian populations, the mutation affects about 560 million people and has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Chen’s lab found a chemical compound that can increase the activity of ADH2, which is expected to begin phase 2 clinical trials this year.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.