Roche has decided to discontinue a Phase III study of gantenerumab, an investigational drug for treating prodromal (pre-dementia) Alzheimer's disease. The company will continue to develop the drug in other indications

“We are disappointed with these study results because people with early stage Alzheimer’s need new medicines that delay disease progression,” said Sandra Horning, MD, chief medical officer and head of global product development at Roche, in a company release. “This is the first Phase III trial to evaluate a potential disease-modifying medicine in this early prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease. We remain committed to investigating new medicines for this devastating illness.”

Gantenerumab continues to be evaluated in the Phase III trials for later stage of Alzheimer's disease (mild dementia due to Alzheimer's). In addition, Roche has two investigational medicines for the disease in Phase II development: (crenezumab, an anti-amyloid antibody, and RG1577, a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor. Gantenerumab is an investigational, fully human, monoclonal antibody designed to decrease levels of beta amyloid, a protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and is hypothesized to play a central role in disease development and progression.

Source: Roche