New 12-month study broadens Phase 3 clinical program to further evaluate the benefits of Dimebon in Alzheimer's Disease....By Bob DeMarco
The CONCERT study is part of a broad, Phase 3 clinical development program for Dimebon. The study builds on data from a small-scale safety and tolerability trial of Dimebon added to donepezil, which found the combination to be well tolerated. CONCERT is designed to complement previous and ongoing studies by further evaluating the efficacy of Dimebon. The Phase 3 program also includes the confirmatory 6-month CONNECTION study, which is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Dimebon monotherapy in patients with mild-to-moderate AD and builds on results of the first pivotal trial of Dimebon in AD.
"Due to the complexity of Alzheimer's disease, the condition often requires combination treatment to help relieve symptoms and slow disease progression," said Bengt Winblad, professor of geriatrics, Karolinska Institute. "The CONCERT trial will explore the potential additive effects of Dimebon to ongoing donepezil therapy, two drugs thought to have different mechanisms of action. We believe this trial may serve to demonstrate the potential of Dimebon in AD."
Also see: Is Pfizer Medivation's Dimebon a $1.5 Billion Blockbuster Drug ?
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Pfizer and Medivation Initiate Phase 3 Trial of Dimebon Added to Donepezil in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
For more information on the CONCERT study, please visit www.concertstudy.com or call 877-888-6386.
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Medivation, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDVN) today announced the initiation of a 12-month, Phase 3 clinical trial of the investigational drug Dimebon. The study, known as CONCERT, is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Dimebon when added to ongoing treatment with donepezil HCI tablets, the leading Alzheimer's disease (AD) medication worldwide, in patients with mild-to-moderate AD.
The CONCERT study is part of a broad, Phase 3 clinical development program for Dimebon. The study builds on data from a small-scale safety and tolerability trial of Dimebon added to donepezil, which found the combination to be well tolerated. CONCERT is designed to complement previous and ongoing studies by further evaluating the efficacy of Dimebon. The Phase 3 program also includes the confirmatory 6-month CONNECTION study, which is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Dimebon monotherapy in patients with mild-to-moderate AD and builds on results of the first pivotal trial of Dimebon in AD.
"Due to the complexity of Alzheimer's disease, the condition often requires combination treatment to help relieve symptoms and slow disease progression," said Bengt Winblad, professor of geriatrics, Karolinska Institute. "The CONCERT trial will explore the potential additive effects of Dimebon to ongoing donepezil therapy, two drugs thought to have different mechanisms of action. We believe this trial may serve to demonstrate the potential of Dimebon in AD."
Dimebon is an investigational compound currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in clinical development for Huntington's disease (HD). In preclinical models of AD and HD explored thus far, Dimebon has been shown to inhibit brain cell death, potentially by stabilizing and improving mitochondrial function in a way that prevents neuron death and dysfunction. The Dimebon mechanism is thought to be distinct from currently available AD medications.
Design of the CONCERT Study
The international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will enroll approximately 1,050 patients with mild-to-moderate AD at approximately 100 sites in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Western Europe. Patients on a stable dose of donepezil will be randomized to one of three treatment groups: Dimebon 20 mg three times per day, Dimebon 5 mg three times per day or placebo. Patients must be on treatment with donepezil for at least six months and at a stable dose of 10 mg daily for at least four months prior to enrollment in the study.
The primary endpoints are the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study - Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) - a measure of self-care and daily function.
For more information on the CONCERT study, please visit www.concertstudy.com or call 877-888-6386.
About Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. As the disease progresses, patients may experience changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or agitation, as well as delusions or hallucinations.
About the Pfizer/Medivation Dimebon Collaboration
Medivation and Pfizer have a global collaboration to develop and commercialize Dimebon for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies are working in partnership to bring Dimebon to market in the United States (U.S.). In addition, following FDA approval, Medivation will co-promote Dimebon to specialty physicians in the U.S. Pfizer has responsibility for development, regulatory and commercialization outside of the U.S.
For more information about Pfizer, visit www.Pfizer.com.
For more information about Medivation, visit www.Medivation.com
Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,200 articles with more than 9,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
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Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
