Summary Box: Alzheimer’s drug in development by Pfizer, Medivation fails to work in late test
By APWednesday, March 3, 2010
Summary Box: Alzheimer’s drug fails in late test
DRUG DISAPPOINTMENT: After strong results in a midstage study, an Alzheimer’s drug Pfizer Inc. is developing with a partner unexpectedly failed to work in a late-stage patient test.
WHAT’S NEXT: Scientists at Pfizer and Medivation Inc. will analyze the data to try to determine why the drug, called Dimebon, didn’t improve thinking ability or daily function in the study patients, elderly folks with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
OTHER RESEARCH: The companies are continuing three different studies in other Alzheimer’s patients, some combining Dimebon with other drugs.
Tags: Diseases And Conditions, Medical Research, Medivation, Neurological Disorders, Products And Services, Seniors' Health
|
March 4, 2010: 11:01 am
Anavex Life Sciences (OTCBB:AVXL) today issued a statement following today’s announcement from Pfizer and Medivation that their investigational Alzheimer’s drug Dimebon did not meet either its co-primary or secondary endpoints compared to placebo during pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials. “While this is disappointing for the Alzheimer’s community, there have been many doubts expressed about Dimebon. These doubts have been documented by leading scientists, including ex-National Institutes of Health (NIH) staffers. This failure of Dimebon, which was hypothesized to act as a mitochondrial pore blocker, on top of the repeated failures of every drug studied for removing beta amyloid from the brain as a way to manage Alzheimer’s disease, suggests that novel mechanisms of action that attempt to modify the disease itself, rather than treat symptoms, are necessary,” said Cameron Durrant, MD, MBA, Executive Chairman of the ANAVEX Board of Directors. ANAVEX is preparing to enter Phase 1 clinical trials with ANAVEX 2-73, its lead compound for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, later this year. |
Anthony Pratt