Backed by the combined expertise of three USC schools, scientists are developing a new drug aimed at a previously unexplored biological target in Alzheimer’s disease, aided by an $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Alzheimer’s disease affects about 6 million Americans and costs the U.S. economy an estimated $320 billion annually. “And drugs developed to date are not very selective, so if they can inhibit this enzyme, they might, at higher doses, inhibit the neighboring enzyme,” Yassine said. “Using support from NIH, we are translating these discoveries into a drug that can get into the clinic,” Louie said. Other Alzheimer’s studies have shown that leaky blood vessels in the brain slow down blood flow and let harmful substances leach into brain tissue.