A new amyloid-reducing compound may be a preventive measure against Alzheimer’s, according to researchers. Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center identified the compound, 2-PMAP, in animal studies that cut down levels of amyloid proteins in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease by over half.

Study results were published online June 3 in the journal Annals of Neurology.

The researchers are hopeful that in the future there might be a treatment based on the molecule to ward off Alzheimer’s, as the drug may be safe enough to take daily over many years.

Martin J. Sadowski, MD, PhD, lead researcher, associate professor of neurology, psychiatry, and biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, said in a statement, “What we want in an Alzheimer’s preventive is a drug that modestly lowers amyloid beta and is also safe for long term use.” He continued, “Statin drugs that lower cholesterol appear to have those properties and have made a big impact in preventing coronary artery disease. That’s essentially what many of us envision for the future of Alzheimer’s medicine.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that leads to problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. The disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all dementia cases.