Tramiprosate nutraceutical planned
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Neurology drug developer Neurochem is creating a separate company to market a branded nutraceutical containing tramiprosate for Alzheimer's disease, with likely launch in 2008, after abandoning development of an Rx drug using the ingredient, the Canadian firm says Nov. 8. The decision to stop development of its oral beta-amyloid fibrillogenesis inhibitor Alzhemed comes after Neurochem announced in August that data from its Phase III North American trial showed no statistically significant difference in favor of Alzhemed versus placebo. Neurochem noted while tramiprosate did not show statistical significance in the primary endpoint in its North American trial, a preliminary post-hoc analysis, which allowed adjustment for potential confounding factors, showed a dose-dependent reduction in hippocampal atrophy in patients treated with tramiprosate versus placebo. The Laval, Quebec-based firm also said it plans to move a follow-on compound, NRM-8499, into preclinical development as an Rx product...