Early results for E 2609 (Eisai) in Alzheimers Disease

Eisai has disclosed the first clinical data (Phase 1) for its new early stage candidate for Alzheimer's disease, the beta-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme (BACE1) inhibitor E 2609. Results from healthy adult volunteers presented to the 2012 Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, Canada, showed that E 2609 reduced plasma levels of amyloid-beta by up to 92% relative to baseline in a single ascending dose study. Amyloid beta deposition in the brain is thought to be one of the causes of Alzheimer's disease. It is expected that developing a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease which reduces amyloid beta will not only improve symptoms, but also help slow down the progression of the disease. E 2609 may reduce the overall amount of amyloid beta by inhibiting BACE.