Takeaway
While β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1) inhibitors decrease amyloid-β levels, they also increase BACE1 protein levels by preventing degradation, which may be the reason they have not resulted in cognitive improvements in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Why this matters
Development of BACE1 inhibitors has been halted in clinical trials because they have failed to prevent cognitive decline in people with AD.
It is important to study BACE1 inhibitor action to understand why this investigational class is not effective and possibly improve potential therapies.