Martek's DHA selected for NIH AD study

USA-based Martek Biosciences says that its docosahexaenoic acid supplement, an omega-3 fatty acid extracted from micro algae, was the only DHA source selected for assessment in the upcoming National Institues of Health study. The program, which will assess DHA's impact on the progression of Alzheimer' disease, is being conducted by the NIH's National Institute of Aging.

Martek added that the product, which it says is suitable for vegetarians and is obtained from a sustainable source, will be examined in terms of its effect on cognitive and functional decline in patients suffering from mild-to-moderate forms of the disease. The company also said that the study's lead investigator would submit an Investigational New Drug application to the Food and Drug Administration, covering the use of DHA in the treatment of AD patients.

Funding for the program, which is projected to cost around $10.5 million over its three-year duration, is being provided under the NIA/NIH's Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), a collaborative research initiative with the University of California in San Diego that is focussed on advancing the development of new drugs and therapies to treat the disease.