Biodegradable drug-delivery nanoparticles curb brain plaque proteins and improve memory in Alzheimer’s mice

September 10, 2026
10:07 am

A family of nanoparticles—tiny, biodegradable molecules commonly used to deliver drugs to patients—shows promise in treating Alzheimer's disease without additional medication, according to new research from a University of Alberta neuroscientist.

In a study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Dr. Satyabrata Kar and colleagues report finding improved symptoms and reversal of the disease at the molecular and cellular level in mice with Alzheimer’s following treatment with a class of nanoparticles called polylactic-co-glycolic acid, or PLGA. The nanoparticles have been approved for drug delivery in humans in the United States, Europe and Canada.

“These molecules have a long-standing safety record and are biodegradable,” says Kar, a professor in the Department of Medicine.

Biodegradable drug-delivery nanoparticles curb brain plaque proteins and improve memory in Alzheimer’s mice

A family of nanoparticles—tiny, biodegradable molecules commonly used to deliver drugs to patients—shows promise in treating Alzheimer's disease without additional medication, according to new research from a University of Alberta neuroscientist.

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