Affecting approximately 35 million people around the world, Alzheimer’s is a cruel, debilitating disease for both sufferers and their families.

Now, it is hoped that a new drug, information on which pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly released earlier this month, will help prevent the build-up of the brain plaques that doctors and other medical professionals have long since believed to be closely connected to Alzheimer’s.

It is still far too early to tell whether or not the drug will make it into the global pharmaceutical market. Nevertheless, the information released, along with its early results, can offer some hope to sufferers and those who care for them that one day, a treatment to help slow, or even prevent the disease, may be produced and made available.

Meryl Comer, a New York Times best-selling author and journalist, is one of many cautiously optimistic about the future of Alzheimer’s treatments, saying:

“I stay close to the science, as do all advocates, because we are desperate for a disease-modifying therapy. Just give us five more years of quality of life — think what that might mean to an individual.”

Despite this positive step forward in the ongoing battle to help sufferers, though, there is still much work to be done and much more research to be conducted before anyone can say for certain that this new drug can and will be beneficial for the millions affected by Alzheimer’s every year.

What do you make of this new development? Do you think companies are doing enough to help find a cure or aid for Alzheimer’s? Join the discussion in the comments!