Merck stresses Alzheimer’s treatment commitment after ending APECS study

Merck has insisted it remains committed to developing innovative treatments for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases after announcing it is stopping a Phase 3 study evaluating verubecestat.

The pharmaceutical company's APECS study saw verubecestat, an investigational small molecule inhibitor of the beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), administered to people with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease.

However, the external Data Monitoring Committee assessed the overall benefit/risk during an interim safety analysis and concluded it was unlikely positive benefit/risk could be established if the trial carried on.

Nevertheless, the Phase 3 trial should still have garnered some useful information, as data from the APECS study will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

Dr. Roger Perlmutter, president of Merck Research Laboratories, admitted he is disappointed with the outcome, given the lack of treatment options for Alzheimer's patients, and thanked patients and caregivers who took part in the study.

"Merck remains committed to developing novel therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases," he added.

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