Roche stops crenezumab trials in early Alzheimer's for futility

The β amyloid hypothesis for treating Alzheimer's disease suffered another setback on Jan. 30 after Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) discontinued a pair of Phase III trials of crenezumab (RG7412) to treat early AD. Roche's Genentech Inc. unit has rights to the anti-β amyloid mAb from AC Immune S.A. (NASDAQ:ACIU).

A planned interim analysis by an IDMC showed that crenezumab was unlikely to meet the primary endpoint of improving Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores from baseline to week 105 in both the Phase III CREAD 1 and CREAD 2 trials. The double-blind, international trials enrolled a total of about 1,500 prodromal to mild sporadic AD patients with baseline Mini-Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) scores of 22 points or higher. Data from the trials will be presented at a medical meeting...