The drug development for overcoming dementia in Japan

Abstract

Dementia is an acquired syndrome characterized by a loss of memory and a decline in executive functions, leading to impairment in the quality of life of patients. Therefore, this syndrome has a significant economic burden on the health care system, on patients, on family and friends who provide unpaid care, and on the wider economy and society. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and continued research and new therapeutic development into AD has been expected all over the world. We discuss the way to solve a variety of challenges in developing disease-modifying drugs for AD from a viewpoint of regulatory science.