US Pharm. 2012;37(2):10.
New York, NY—Following disappointing phase III trial results, development of the experimental Alzheimer’s medication Dimebon (latrepirdine) has been halted by Pfizer Inc. and partner Medivation Inc. The drug, originally an antihistamine used in Russia, showed no statistically significant benefit over placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. In the CONCERT study, the addition of Dimebon to ongoing treatment with Aricept (donepezil) failed to meet the two co-primary endpoints—change from baseline in the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) or the activities of daily living subscale (ADAS-ADL). The companies will be terminating their agreement to develop and market the drug.
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