Results From Promising Alzheimer’s Trial Are ‘Encouraging’ But Fall Short Of Massive Hype Around Drug
The drug showed success with patients who had the highest dosage for over 18 months, but there will need to be more studies before experts get really excited. "I don’t know that we’ve hit a home run yet. It’s important not to over-conclude on the data. But as a proof of concept, I feel like this is very encouraging," said Dr. Reisa Sperling, director of the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
The New York Times:
New Alzheimer’s Drug Shows Big Promise In Early Trial Results
The long, discouraging quest for a medication that works to treat Alzheimer’s reached a potentially promising milestone on Wednesday. For the first time in a large clinical trial, a drug was able to both reduce the plaques in the brains of patients and slow the progression of dementia. More extensive trials will be needed to know if the new drug is truly effective, but if the results, presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago, are borne out, the drug may be the first to successfully attack both the brain changes and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. (Belluck, 7/25)
The Associated Press:
Hopes Rise Again For A Drug To Slow Alzheimer's Disease
The drug from Eisai and Biogen did not meet its main goal in a study of 856 participants, so overall, it was considered a flop. But company officials said that 161 people who got the highest dose every two weeks for 18 months did significantly better than 245 people who were given a dummy treatment. There are lots of caveats about the work, which was led by company scientists rather than academic researchers and not reviewed by outside experts. The study also was too small to be definitive and the results need to be confirmed with more work, dementia experts said. But they welcomed any glimmer of success after multiple failures. (7/25)
Stat:
Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Significantly Slowed Patients’ Cognitive Decline
“I’ll remain cautiously optimistic,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “I think the data are intriguing. The effect sizes sound reasonable, the drug seems safe, and on the biological side of it, the drug seems to be working.” But, he added, “you’d really want to see a Phase 3 to replicate those results.” Whether he’ll get one remains an open question. (Garde, 7/25)
Bloomberg:
Biogen’s Alzheimer’s Drug Data Encouraging, Not ‘Shock And Awe’
Eisai stock fell 10 percent Thursday in Tokyo, after plunging as much as 21 percent earlier in the day. Biogen sank 11 percent in late trading Wednesday in New York after closing at the highest in three years in anticipation of the results. BioArctic AB, the Swedish company that originally developed the medicine, tumbled in Stockholm trading. (Cortez, 7/25)
In other news on Alzheimer's —
The Associated Press:
Study: Lowering Blood Pressure Helps Prevent Mental Decline
Lowering blood pressure more than usually recommended not only helps prevent heart problems, it also cuts the risk of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer's disease, a major study finds. It's the first time a single step has been clearly shown to help prevent a dreaded condition that has had people trying crossword puzzles, diet supplements and a host of other things in hope of keeping their mind sharp. (7/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Another Reason To Keep Your Blood Pressure Down: It Can Lower Your Risk Of Dementia
Systolic blood pressure is the amount of pressure in a person’s arteries during the contraction of her heart muscle. Because it is the highest pressure to which the blood vessels are subjected, systolic blood pressure is thought to have the most detrimental impact on the delicate capillaries that nourish the brain as well as the kidneys, heart and liver. In large populations, lowering that reading to 120 already has been found to reduce rates of cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. (Healy, 7/25)
The Associated Press:
Ultrasound Jiggles Open Brain Barrier, A Step To Better Care
A handful of Alzheimer’s patients signed up for a bold experiment: They let scientists beam sound waves into the brain to temporarily jiggle an opening in its protective shield. The so-called blood-brain barrier prevents germs and other damaging substances from leaching in through the bloodstream — but it can block drugs for Alzheimer’s, brain tumors and other neurologic diseases, too. Canadian researchers on Wednesday reported early hints that technology called focused ultrasound can safely poke holes in that barrier — holes that quickly sealed back up — a step toward one day using the non-invasive device to push brain treatments through. (Neergaard, 7/25)