Alzheimer's drug gives moderate results

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BOSTON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The drug Solanezumab slowed the mental decline in patients with early stages of the Alzheimer's by one-third, a U.S. researcher said.

Dr. Rachelle Doody, chairwoman of Alzheimer's Disease Research at Baylor College of Medicine, who led the panel of independent scientists that analyzed the trial data, said the drug provided the first evidence that a medication might alter the course of the disease, The Boston Globe reported.

The preliminary results of the 2,000-patient trial released by Lilly last August suggested the drug -- designed to clear abnormal proteins in the brains of Alzheimer's patients -- did not have a significant benefit on patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

However, the findings presented by the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study, by the independent panel, showed patients with mild cognitive impairment who were given the medication for 18 months did show modest improvement compared with those given a placebo.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association meeting in Boston.