New global study to assess 3 drugs to prevent early-onset Alzheimer's Disease

A new clinical study will examine 3 drugs to determine whether they can prevent early-onset Alzheimer�s disease. The drugs chosen for the study which will take place at Washington University in St. Louis, are R1450 (gantenerumab), from Roche and LY 2062430 (solanezumab), from Eli Lilly and Co. R1450 is currently in a Phase III trial known as SCarlet RoAD, started in 2010. LY 2062430 is a monoclonal antibody in Phase III clinical trials which binds to soluble forms of amyloid beta, allowing it to be cleared before clumps can form plaques. Also selected for inclusion is LY 2886721, a beta-secretase (BACE) inhibitor, from Eli Lilly and Co, which is in Phase II clinical trials. LY 2886721 is theorised to work by reducing the amount of amyloid beta proteins produced.

Starting in 2013, the trial will enroll 160 patients with inherited gene mutations that typically cause early-onset Alzheimer�s. The study will seek to identify whether the drugs, each designed to target the disease in a different way, can improve disease biomarkers and effectively prevent the loss of cognitive function. The trial will also monitor the health of 80 DIAN participants who did not inherit the Alzheimer�s mutations. It will be conducted by the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer�s Network Trials Unit and its principal investigator is Randall Bateman, MD, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor in Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine.