Alzheimer's drug memantine fails to reduce significant agitation

Memantine, a drug prescribed for Alzheimer's disease, does not ease clinically significant agitation in patients, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the UK, USA and Norway. This is the first randomized controlled trial designed to assess the effectiveness of the drug for significant agitation in Alzheimer's patients.

Memantine, sold under the trade name Ebixa by originator Lundbeck, generated sales of 763 million ($136 million) for the Danish firm in the first quarter of this year, and $393 million for the three months to end March for US licensee Forest Laboratories, which uses the band name Namenda.

Previous studies suggested memantine could help reduce agitation and improve cognitive functions such as memory. Led by the University of East Anglia in the UK, the new research found that, while memantine does improve cognitive functioning and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as delusion, mood and anxiety, it is no more effective in reducing significant agitation than a placebo.