RESOURCES

Advance Trials on a Promising New Alzheimer’s Drug

Ireland’s Elan Corporation, plc, a biotechnology company, and U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer Wyeth announced that they’re planning advanced trials of bapineuzumab, a drug to combat Alzheimer’s disease.

The companies are seeking regulatory approval to begin “phase 3” trials of the promising drug. It is hoped that bapineuzumab will eventually be used to stop the memory loss and dementia symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects more than 20 million people worldwide.

Elan and Wyeth plan to begin the advanced studies in the second half of 2007—months ahead of the previous target. The results are not expected to be announced until 2008. It is hoped that this drug will either stop or remove the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, which is thought to be the cause of Alzheimer’s. Current drugs only suppress the disease’s symptoms.

Trials for bapineuzumab will involve treating 240 people with mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer’s over an 18-month period. A separate trial in Europe will involve a group of 30 patients.

<Return to News>