Another disappointment from another Alzheimer’s drug candidate

Two late phase 3 clinical studies of a new Alzheimer’s disease treatment candidate, Swiss company Roche’s antibody gantenerumab, failed to show positive results, as the drug did not significantly slow the progression of the disease’s symptoms in early-stage patients.

The failure adds to a long line of disappointments in the field of testing new Alzheimer’s drugs.

The experimental drug targets beta amyloid, the toxic protein that builds up in plaques in patients’ brains, gradually destroying their vital memory, thinking and other functions.

The two placebo-controlled “twin” clinical trials, known as Graduate 1 and 2, each involving about 1,000 people, showed that the new antibody cleared much less of these plaques than expected (reduction only by 8% and 6% respectively compared to placebo).

The announcement sent Roche shares tumbling on the stock market, according to the Financial Times and Reuters.

Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia at 60% to 70% – has proven to be the “graveyard” of many initially promising drugs. There have been virtually no new drugs for nearly two decades.

However, Roche has assured that it will continue its research into the so far incurable neurodegenerative disease. More than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, with the number estimated to reach 78 million by 2030, according to the World Health Organization.

For now at least, hopes are turning to another trial drug from Biogen and Eisai, for which positive trial results were announced in September.

Their own lecanemab antibody had slowed disease progression by 27% compared to placebo. Results for another antibody that also targets beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, Eli Lilly’s donanemab, are expected in mid-2023.

RES-EMP

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