Preclinical and clinical evidence support the effectiveness of neurotrophins in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegenerative diseases. Delivery of neurotrophins to target sites in the brain remains a major obstacle for their use in humans. Development of orally active agents that mimic the effects of nerve growth factor and other neurotrophins provides a promising alternative therapeutic strategy. AIT-082, a purine analogue, has been shown to reverse age-induced memory deficits in mice and is a growth factor-mimetic agent. It is orally active, rapidly penetrates the blood-brain barrier and induces the production of multiple growth factors at the appropriate target site in the central nervous system (CNS).