Further antibody drugs bite the dust in Alzheimer's tests

Another antibody drug has bitten the dust in recent Alzheimer's trials, with biologic drug solanezumab failing to make the cut.

Eli Lilly and Company, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, has announced that solanezumab did not meet its pre-specified endpoints to slow cognitive and functional decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease who participated in two phase III clinical trials.

But not all was lost from the trial, as secondary analysis found hints that the drug could indeed slow cognitive decline in patients with milder forms of the neurodegenerative condition, which could prompt new trials based on the antibody component.

Elsewhere, researchers based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Pfizer, based in Groton, Connecticut, found that monoclonal antibody bapineuzumab does not prevent cognitive decline after the drug failed two large-scale trials. The company has announced it will halt development of the drug, which showed no positive signs from the trials.

Both drugs trialled were based on antibodies that target the amyloid-β peptide, which researchers believe has a key role in Alzheimer’s disease. Using the drugs, the scientists are looking to prevent the formation of the toxic clumps, or plaques, of amyloid-β, that may underlie neurodegeneration.

So far, solanezumab is the first drug to slow cognitive decline in a large trial, said Eric Siemers, medical director of Lilly’s Alzheimer’s team, during a press conference.

John Lechleiter, Lilly’s chairman, president and chief executive, said in a press release that he was encouraged by signs of efficacy slowing cognitive decline. “We intend to discuss these data with regulatory authorities to gain their insights on potential next steps.”
However, another analysis of trial patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease did not find an effect on cognitive decline that reached statistical significance.

The company recently opened a new lab in the UK that is to focus on neuroscience research and drugs.

Posted by Fiona Griffiths