Lilly announces results of phase III solanezumab study

Lilly has reported positive detailed results of the phase III trial into the efficacy of solanezumab for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled Expedition investigation, which was carried out among patients with mild-to-moderate cases of the condition, revealed individuals administered with the compound demonstrated a slowing of cognitive decline.

Findings represented a 42 percent reduction in deterioration among patients at the endpoint of the 18-month study, while the difference in the functional worsening of the symptoms was not statistically different.

The announcement of the results comes after a presentation using analyses of the Expedition study data conducted by the Alzheimer's Disease Co-operative investigation at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association.

Rachelle Doody, professor of Neurology and the Effie Marie Cain chair in Alzheimer's Disease Research at the Baylor College of Medicine, said: "These results represent an important step for the medical, academic and scientific communities in understanding brain amyloid as a target of Alzheimer's disease therapies."