Pirenzepine and derivatives thereof as anti-amyloid agents

A compound of formula I

• wherein A and B are five- or six-membered rings optionally containing at least one heteroatom selected from N, S and O, wherein the rings are optionally mono- or polysubstituted with halo, e.g. F, Cl, Br, or I, C1-C4-(halo)-alkyl, C1-C4-(halo)-alkoxy, amino, C1-C4-alkyl-amino, or di(C1-C4-alkyl)amino,
• W is S, O, NR1 or CHR1
• R1 is hydrogen, Y or COY,
• R2 is hydrogen or C1-C4-(halo)-alkyl, and
• Y is C1-C6 (halo)alkyl, or C3-C8 cyclo-(halo)alkyl, wherein the alkyl or cycloalkyl group is optionally substituted with a five- or six-membered ring optionally containing at least one heteroatom selected from N, S and O, and wherein the ring is optionally mono- or poly-substituted with halo, C1-C4-(halo)alkyl, C1-C4(halo)alkoxy, amino, C1-C4-alkyl amino, di(C1-C4-alkyl)amino or Z,
• wherein Z is a C1-C6 (halo) alkyl group ω-substituted with a group N(R4)2, wherein each R4 is independently hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, or CO—C1-C8-alkyl or wherein both R4 together from a five- or six-membered ring optionally containing at least one further heteroatom selected from N, S and O, wherein the ring is optionally mono- or polysubstituted with halo, C1-C4(halo)-alkyl and C1-C4(halo)alkoxy, or of a salt or derivative thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising said compound
• in a pharmaceutically effective amount for reducing the β-amyloid plaque load as compared to the untreated control;
• and/or
• inhibiting the formation of β-amyloid plaques;
• and/or
• retarding the increase of amyloid load, particularly to a level below that expected with normal progression of the disease as compared to the untreated control in the brain of an animal.