Pharmaprojects R&D Pipeline News Feed
Myriad terminates Phase III Alzheimer’s disease therapy
4 Jul 2008
US-based Myriad Genetics has announced that it has discontinued development of tarenflurbil (Flurizan), its first-in-class gamma secretase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The decision to discontinue Flurizan followed the results of an 18-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial in 1684 mild AD patients, in which 800mg of Flurizan twice daily failed to meet either of its primary endpoints of improvement in cognitive function and activities of daily living. Adverse events were those expected in the study population.
The failure of Flurizan reflects a continued poor success rate for AD therapies in 2008. In June, Wyeth’s bapineuzumab, currently in Phase III trials, failed to reach its primary endpoints in a Phase II trial in 240 mild-to-moderate AD patients. And in April, Phase II trials of Wyeth and Elan’s beta-amyloid immunoconjugate ACC-001 were briefly suspended after a patient developed vasculitis.
President and CEO of Myriad, Peter Meldrum said “the discontinuation of Flurizan will reduce our pharmaceutical development spend substantially and should enable Myriad to achieve profitability next year”.
Myriad Genetics has invested $60 million in the development of Flurizan in 2008, with further projected expenses of $8 million over the next two fiscal quarters.
