Alzheimer's disease
Executive Summary
Researchers at Athena Neurosciences identify the beta-amyloid protein, which causes plaque deposits in the brain of Alzheimer's patients and is the precursor to the protease nexin II protein. A study published in the Sept. 14 issue of Nature suggests that the amyloid plaque deposits may be the result of the incorrect metabolic processing of the beta-amyloid protein. Based in South San Francisco, California, Athena Neurosciences is developing diagnostics and therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.