New Evidence Supports the Use of Statins for the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Health/Medical Writers

MAYWOOD, N.J.--(BW HealthWire)--July 31, 2002

Studies presented at the 8th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders in Stockholm, Sweden reported new evidence linking high cholesterol levels with Alzheimer's disease and showing

Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: NYMX) recently gained a U.S. patent for the use of statins for treating, preventing, and reducing the risk of the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Statins are a class of drugs known as HMG CoA reductose inhibitors, which lower cholesterol. The current global market for statin drugs is over $14 billion per year.

The relationship between cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease and the potential use of statins as a therapeutic was a major topic at the conference. One epidemiological study of 2,378 participants conducted by Dr. R. Green and colleagues at Boston University School of Medicine found individuals taking statins had a 39 % lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. This finding confirmed the data reported in the Archives of Neurology (Wolozin et al., Arch Neurol 2000; 57:1439-43).

Another study conducted by Dr. B. Austen and colleagues at St. George's Hospital Medical School in London found that using statins in cell cultures lowered cholesterol levels and dramatically reduced beta-amyloid production. Beta-amyloid is a constituent of senile plaques, the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Many other studies at the Stockholm meeting explored links between cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease and the potential therapeutic uses of statins.

"The enormous interest in the medical community about the potential use of statins for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease is very exciting. Any therapy that could reduce the incidence of this dread disease would be very valuable for patients, their physicians and caregivers and the healthcare system. Our involvement in this area and the allowance of our patent for this use of statins puts us at the forefront of this important new area of Alzheimer's disease therapeutics," said Dr. Michael Munzar, Medical Director of Nymox.

Nymox is actively involved in bringing novel diagnostic and therapeutic products for Alzheimer's disease to market. Nymox has a number of other therapeutic programs with novel, proprietary approaches to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. One aims at reducing levels of NTP, the brain protein detected by Nymox's proprietary AlzheimAlert(TM) urinary test. Another program targets spherons, tiny balls of proteins found in the human brain, which Nymox researchers believe are a major source of senile plaques, a hallmark of the disease.

Nymox currently offers AlzheimAlert(TM), its proprietary urine test designed to aid physicians in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. AlzheimAlert(TM) detects elevated levels of a brain protein called neural thread protein or NTP in the urine of patients with Alzheimer's disease. There is an extensive scientific literature over the past decade linking elevated levels of NTP to Alzheimer's disease and confirming its accuracy as a biochemical marker for this devastating illness. Recent publications include Alzheimer's Reports (2002; 1: 1-6); Neurology & Clinical Neurophysiology (2002; 1: 2-7); Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2001; 58: 844-849); Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (2001; 3: 345-353); Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology (2001; 60: 195-207) and (1996; 55: 1038-1050); Neurology (2000; 55: 1068) and (2000; 54: 1498-1504); Alzheimer's Reports (2001; 4: 61-65), (2000; 3: 177-184) and (1999; 2: 327-332); Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis (1998; 12: 285-288) and (1998; 12: 223-226); Journal of Contemporary Neurology (1998; 4A: 2-6); and Journal of Clinical Investigation (1997; 100: 3093-3104).

More information about Nymox is available at www.nymox.com, email: info@nymox.com, or 1-800-936-9669.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management's current expectations. Such factors are detailed from time to time in Nymox's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.