A new analysis of trial data shows promise of Biogen drug in treating early Alzheimer's
10/22/2019
Over the last five years, the Bruyère Research Institute Clinical Trials Research Unit (BRI-CTRU), led by Dr. Andrew Frank, has participated in multiple randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial drug studies in the hope of finding a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Most of these studies failed to show any benefit and were stopped.
In September 2015, BRI-CTRU entered into collaboration with Biogen to participate in a large phase III clinical trial testing the drug aducanumab, which was hoped to slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary results in March 2019 indicated that aducanumab was ineffective, which resulted in the study being stopped.
Months later and after further analysis of the data, the drug seems to have shown benefit at higher doses. As a result, on October 22, 2019, Biogen announced plans to pursue regulatory approval for this drug after analysis showed that the drug reduced clinical decline in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease on multiple measures of cognition and function. If approved, aducanumab would become the first therapy to reduce clinical decline in Alzheimer’s disease.
BRI-CTRU is proud to have been part of this achievement and thanks the participants, families, and BRI staff and researchers for their invaluable contributions to this effort.
Read the full press release and learn more about the aducanumab announcement.