BRIEF—Another Alzheimer's drug candidate bites the dust

Pharma major Janssen has announced that it is stopping the screening, randomization and dosing of atabecestat (JNJ-54861911), which is in Phase IIb/III EARLY study in late-onset preclinical stage Alzheimer’s disease and in a Phase II long-term safety study.

The Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) subsidiary stated: “After a thorough evaluation of all available liver safety data from our studies, Janssen has concluded that the benefit-risk ratio is no longer favorable to continue development of atabecestat for people who have late-onset preclinical stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Janssen added that it continues to maintain a strong commitment to discovering and developing new treatments for this devastating disease.

More information about these studies can be found at the following links:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02569398?term=JNJ-54861911&rank=3

https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=atabecestat