Alzheimer's Therapeutics Reviewed by NeuroPerspective

CARDIFF, Calif., Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NI Research (NIR) has released the September issue of NeuroPerspective, which features a comprehensive review of Alzheimer's therapeutics at http://www.niresearch.com/onlinestore.html.

Alzheimer's  constitutes the single largest opportunity in the pharma world, but with risk to match.  As NeuroPerspective (NP) publisher Harry Tracy PhD notes: "This comes at a time when many of the mechanistic assumptions that have fueled the pharma industry's pursuit of Alzheimer's have been shaken by a series of failures in major trials, trials that were prematurely launched in the hope that bets on the amyloid model had been placed fortuitously. These failures have been partly masked by attempts to glean some harbinger of hope from secondary analyses, a process NIR now refers to as 'data-fracking.' " 

This 48-page issue is the largest and most comprehensive issue of NeuroPerspective ever produced. It includes:

• An overview of the biology of Alzheimer's as it is currently conceptualized, albeit not yet validated. More attention is being devoted to alternative upstream models, and to downstream access points that may be relevant to multiple neurodegenerative disorders.
• A review of the many therapeutic strategies that have been employed, and that are currently under development, with a fresh focus upon tau, metal-binding, and anti-inflammatory approaches.
• The companies and programs that are in clinical, preclinical, and discovery stage. Over 250 therapeutic programs are included in this review. The issue includes assessments of the strained logic underlying Lilly's revised Phase III program for solanezumab; variations on the secretase theme from Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, EnVivo, and NeuroGenetic Pharmaceuticals; beta-amyloid targeting alternatives from companies like Acumen, Axerion/AstraZeneca, and Probiodrug; innovative approaches to disease progression from Prana, Merck/Alectos, Roche/reMYND, TauRx, and NeuroPhage; and those with Phase II data, such as EnVivo, Lundbeck, TauRx, and Prana. EnVivo Pharma's EVP-6124 exemplifies a new breed of symptomatic therapies that may extend independence, with the possibility, as-yet undefined, of slowing the progression of the disease as well.  

Other topics covered in NP September:

• Our commentary on 'The Persistence of Gonzo Neuroscience' examines the cost of the big bets placed by Big Pharma on Alzheimer's Phase III trials, without adequate Phase II support. Given the pragmatic impossibility of waiting to precisely define the mechanisms leading to Alzheimer's before vetting the clinical options, the issue considers the value of collaboration and partnership in defraying some of the risk attached to such huge undertakings: Solitary failure carries the risk of further jeopardizing already vulnerable CNS franchises at major pharma companies.
• The sale of Elan to Perrigo culminates an era of disappointment for a company that had the potential to be far more than what it eventually became, a reliquary for Tysabri royalties.
• The review of Pfizer's CNS licensing plans and attributes excerpted from NeuroLicensing 2013.

About NI Research

NI Research is the leading publisher of independent research on the neurotherapeutics industry, and has developed an unmatched information base regarding both publicly and privately held CNS companies. NeuroPerspective (formerly NeuroInvestment) is the authoritative, independent, monthly review of the neurotherapeutics area, providing critical analyses of therapeutics-in-development.

A one-year (1-5 user) subscription to NeuroPerspective is $2,390.  The September issue of NeuroPerspective is available for $300 as a single-issue purchase.

NI Research also publishes NeuroLicensing 2013 and provides consulting services to the pharma industry.

Further information and online purchasing with immediate delivery are available at http://www.niresearch.com/onlinestore.html

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SOURCE NI Research