Roche's Alzheimer's drug shows potential in early study

An experimental Alzheimer’s therapy from Roche successfully cleared a protein that is a hallmark of the disease from patients’ brains, the company reported Wednesday, adding to evidence that the drug shows promise.

The data comes from an early-stage study and so far Roche has not assessed whether there is a corresponding change in cognitive function or disease progression. But U.S. regulators in recent years have approved similar drugs that can lower levels of a protein called amyloid in patients’ brains and have modestly slowed the worsening of Alzheimer’s disease in studies.

In addition, early findings from Roche’s treatment, an antibody called trontinemab, suggest it could be safer than some of the other treatments for clearing amyloids, although larger studies would need to confirm that. In particular, there have been relatively few cases of a problem called ARIA, a form of swelling or bleeding in the brain, which has been seen with the other antibodies and which has prompted regulators in some parts of the world to take negative positions of existing medications.

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