Mixed bag for Genentech dementia drug
pharmafile | July 18, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Alzheimer's, Genentech, crenezumab, dementia
A Phase II clinical trial for Genentech’s investigational Alzheimer’s drug failed to meet its primary endpoints – but the company and campaigners have pointed to a possible chink of light in the results.
The data on amyloid antibody agent crenezumab was presented this week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC 2014) in Copenhagen, with the charity pointing to a positive finding in a subgroup of the study’s patient population.
The mental decline of these sufferers, who had mild Alzheimer’s and received the drug by intravenous (IV) infusion, slowed significantly, the manufacturer says.
Carole Ho, Genentech’s director of early clinical development, told Reuters this aspect of the data was encouraging because it suggested that treating the disease earlier could increase the benefit.
“These results are an indication that Alzheimer’s disease prevention trials testing therapies in people who have Alzheimer’s-related brain changes but do not yet have symptoms of dementia have the potential to be more successful than those conducted on people who already are experiencing dementia symptoms,” says the Alzheimer’s Society in a statement.
However, the fact remains that crenezumab did miss its main goals – which were based around slowing decline overall in both cognition and in patients’ day-to-day activities – and the company will analyse the results before deciding on what further studies may be required.
It is a reminder that the search for dementia treatments in general has been fraught with failure, with only three drugs getting to the market in the past 15 years.
Crenezumab is currently being tested with 300 members of a family in Colombia who share a rare genetic mutation that typically triggers symptoms around 45 years of age.
This study, the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Trial (API-ADAT), is being led by the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute (BAI).
In March this year, the Alzheimer’s Association gave its largest-ever research grant – $8 million over four years – to support the Longitudinal Evaluation of Amyloid Risk and Neurodegeneration (LEARN) study.
It is following a group of amyloid negative individuals to examine the causes of cognitive decline other than the build-up of the amyloid beta protein in the brain.
Adam Hill
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