Anti-viral treatment in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a Phase II, placebo-controlled,
52-week trial using oral valacyclovir 4 g/day in 50 HSV seropositive, AD biomarker-positive,
amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients (eMCI and lMCI). The trial will directly
address the long-standing viral etiology hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) which posits
that viruses, particularly the very common herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV1) and herpes simplex
virus-2 (HSV2), may be etiologic or contribute to the pathology of AD. This trial will
intervene at an earlier stage (MCI). We will compare the repurposed drug valacyclovir to
placebo in patients with amnestic MCI (eMCI and lMCI) in a randomized, double-blind, two-arm
parallel group 52-week pilot trial. Our Phase II trial will be the first antiviral drug trial
conducted in MCI.