Alzheimer’s Drug (Bapineuzumab)Trial Halted After Poor Results

Alzheimer’s drug Bapineuzumab unfortunately did not hold up to expectations and trials have been halted. Drug manufacturers Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson announced the halt this week after two clinical trials showed Bapineuzumab to be ineffective for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Bapineuzumab was being developed to target beta amyloid which is a protein that has toxic effects on the brain. Some researchers believe this is the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. In two clinical trials Bapineuzumab was as ineffective as a placebo for treating the disease.

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia which is the 6th leading cause of death in the United states. An estimated 36 million people worldwide have dementia and in the U.S. there are about 5 million Americans with dementia.