Eli Lilly is halting development of solanezumab after it failed to slow cognitive decline in a study of patients at risk of Alzheimer's disease, the drugmaker said March 8.
In a trial with more than 1,000 participants between the ages of 65 and 85, the drug "did not clear plaque or halt accumulation of amyloid," the protein associated with the disease, Eli Lilly said in a news release.
"While this study was negative, the unique data generated have increased our understanding of preclinical Alzheimer's disease and will advance the next generation of Alzheimer's disease prevention studies," John Sims, head of medical and global brand development for the drug, said in a news release.
Eli Lilly is developing two other Alzheimer's treatment candidates — donanemab and remternetug — which are in late-stage clinical trials. The investigational antibodies "are different from solanezumab in that they specifically target deposited amyloid plaque and have been shown to lead to plaque clearance in treated patients," the drugmaker said.