A promising experimental Alzheimer’s disease drug Pfizer Inc. and a partner are developing worked no better than a placebo in a late-stage study, an unexpected disappointment after the potential blockbuster stopped symptoms from worsening for a year in a prior test.
Pfizer, with research and development operations in Connecticut, and partner Medivation Inc. said Wednesday that the drug, Dimebon, failed to meet its primary and secondary goals — improving thinking ability and overall daily function over six months in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Still, the results don’t necessarily spell the end for Dimebon, one of New York-based Pfizer’s key prospects. Medivation and Pfizer, the world’s biggest drugmaker by revenue, are continuing three ongoing studies that could prove Dimebon helps patients in combination with other Alzheimer’s drugs or when used for a longer period.
Given strong results of the prior, midstage study, some doctors thought — or at least hoped — Dimebon might be able to stop or reverse the mind-robbing disease, which would be a first.
“It’s a setback, because it was the drug nearest to approval,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, chairman of the Alzheimer’s Association’s medical and scientific advisory council. He said it could have been on the market in two years, and anything else will take much longer.
The news sent shares of Medivation and Pfizer down. (AP)
