Targacept trial does not show superiority of TC-1734 over donepezil

US-based clinical-stage biopharma company Targacept (Nasdaq: TRGT) has announced results from a Phase IIb monotherapy clinical trial of TC-1734 in treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

The drug did not meet the objective of showing superiority to the current preferred treatment in Alzheimer's, donepezil, after 52 weeks of treatment. It did not include a placebo arm and was not designed to determine whether TC-1734 is equivalent to donepezil. Consistent with previous clinical results, TC-1734 exhibited a benign safety and tolerability profile.

Stephen Hill, Targacept's president and chief executive, said: “We are disappointed for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their families. We designed a rigorous study to provide a definitive answer on whether TC-1734 could be a better treatment option than the current standard of care in what has been a very difficult disease area for the development of novel therapeutics. Based on these results, we do not intend to invest in further development of TC-1734."