Phase II crenezumab Alzheimer's prevention initiative study misses endpoints

Swiss biotech AC Immune (Nasdaq: ACIU) on Tuesday announced that its partners presented the first quantitative data from the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative (API) Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD) Colombia Trial during a Focused Topic Session at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).

The study evaluated the potential of the anti-amyloid beta antibody crenezumab to slow or prevent Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively unimpaired people who carry a specific genetic mutation which causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, noted AC Immune, whose New York traded shares closed up 1.9% at $3.27.

However, as previously reported by collaboration partner Roche (ROG: SIX) in June, the trial did not meet its co-primary endpoints (API ADAD composite cognitive total score and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test Cueing Index). Numerical differences favoring crenezumab over placebo were observed across both of these co-primary endpoints; statistical significance was not reached. Additional clinical and biomarker measures also showed numerical differences favoring crenezumab over placebo that did not reach statistical significance.