▲ Professor Seung-Yong Yoon of the Department of Brain Science 

A team led by Professor Seung-Yong Yoon of the Department of Brain Science has successfully developed a monoclonal antibodywith the potential to impede the pathological progression of various tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Termed ADEL-Y01, this antibody has been precisely engineered to target the acetylated tau protein. Tauopathies represent a cluster of ailments characterized by the accumulation of tau proteins within the brain, often leading to brain cell death and cognitive decline.

The research team demonstrated the crucial role of acetylated tau in amplifying misfolded tau proteins within the brain. Moreover, they have successfully created Y01 as a means to selectively target acetylated tau and have tested its efficacy in both cell and mouse models. The results have confirmed that ADEL-Y01 effectively inhibits the progression of taupathies by means of antibody-mediated inhibition and phagocytosis.

Professor Yoon's accomplishment stems from his prior establishment of a bio-venture company called ‘ADEL,’ which was founded in 2016 based on the research conducted at the Department of Brain Science. The research was supported by funding from the Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea. The groundbreaking findings of this study have been published in the online edition of 'The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).'