Recent Developments of Structure Based β-Secretase Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease

The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is the principal components of the senile plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The poorly soluble 40-42 amino acid peptide, formed from the cleavage of the Ab precursor protein (APP) by two proteases, is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of AD. β-Secretase (memapsin 2, BACE1), a membrane-anchored aspartic protease, is responsible for the initial step of APP cleavage leading to the generation of Aβ. Identification and structural determination of β-secretase have established it to be a primary drug target for AD therapy and stimulated active studies on the inhibitors of this protease. Here we review more recent developments in the design and testing of structure-based β-secretase inhibitors.