Amyloid hypothesis takes first hit in an Alzheimer’s prevention setting

With Novartis and Amgen’s decision to halt a pair of trials in presymptomatic Alzheimer’s patients Thursday, what was widely considered the only setting left for the amyloid hypothesis in the disease took a blow.

Amyloid-lowering agents have failed at least 20 Phase III trials in symptomatic patients, and succeeded in zero. But because amyloid aggregates in the brain decades before symptoms start, many in the field have pegged the prevention setting as the best bet left for the target (see “How the Amyloid Hypothesis Holds its Grip”)...