Diverse Approaches to Alzheimer's Therapies

Results from clinical trials of three potential Alzheimer's therapies raise hope for new and better treatments of the disease, according to data reported at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2008) in Chicago. A related study showed that taking antidementia drugs appears to have a positive impact on extending lifespan in those with Alzheimer's. These reports included:

• Eighteen-month data from an open-label extension of a pivotal trial of Dimebon (Medivation) in mild to moderate Alzheimer's.
• Nine-month data from an interim analysis of the first U.S. Phase II trial of intravenous immunoglobulin, or IVIg (Baxter), in Alzheimer's.
• Results of a Phase II study of a monoclonal antibody (LY2062430, Lilly) in mild to moderate Alzheimer's.
• Research suggesting that persistent antidementia drug use increases survival in people with Alzheimer's.

"Therapies targeting amyloid in Alzheimer's disease must continue to be thoroughly tested," said William Thies, PhD, Alzheimer's Association vice president for Medical and Scientific Relations. "At the same time, we know that Alzheimer's is a complex disease and that better treatments and preventions will likely also be complex, so we must investigate every promising drug target looking eventually towards the possibility of a multi-strategy approach."