Sodium Selenate as a Disease-Modifying Treatment for Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease: An Open-Label Extension Study

The open-label extension study evaluated the long-term safety and tolerability of sodium selenate, a potential disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD), in 28 patients who had previously completed a phase 2a trial. Patients received 10 mg of sodium selenate three times a day for a duration ranging from 6 to 23 months. The study found that the majority of adverse events (AEs) were mild, with 83% being mild and 33% being treatment-related, including alopecia (21%) and nail disorder (32%), both of which resolved after treatment cessation. There were two serious AEs, but they were not related to the treatment. Cognitive tests indicated a potential slowing of disease progression, as the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale—Cognitive Subscale 11 score increased by 1.8 points over 12 months, although the study's lack of control means this finding is not definitive. The study concludes that chronic sodium selenate treatment is safe and well tolerated in AD patients, and further research is warranted.