Roche Alzheimer’s drug fails main goals in mid-stage study

By Caroline Copley ZURICH (Reuters) – Roche’s experimental drug crenezumab failed to delay a decline in thinking and memory skills in people with Alzheimer’s disease, a result likely to bolster a growing belief that drugs need to be given in earlier stages of the disease to show a benefit. Results of a Phase II study involving 431 patients found crenezumab failed to significantly slow cognitive and functional decline compared to placebo, missing the study’s two main goals, Roche said in a statement on Wednesday. Carole Ho, director of Early Clinical Development at Roche’s biotech unit Genentech, told Reuters she was encouraged by the data, even though it missed its main goals, since it demonstrated that treating the disease earlier could increase the benefit. Ho said Roche would decide on any future plans for additional clinical studies following an analysis of the data in conjunction with health authorities.