Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association
Volume 5, Issue 5 , Pages 388-397 , September 2009

Current Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: Methods and placebo outcomes

  • Lon S. Schneider

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences and Department of Neurology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: 323-442-7600; Fax: 323-442-7601.
  • ,
  • Mary Sano

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, Mt Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

References 

  1. Leber P. What is the evidence that a dementia treatment works? criteria used by drug regulatory authorities. In:  Qizilbash N,  Schneider LS,  Chui H, et al. editor. Evidence-based dementia practice. Oxford, UK: Blackwells; 2003;p. 376–387
  2. European Medicines Agency, Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Guideline on medicinal products for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Available at: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/ewp/055395en.pdf. Accessed May 5, 2009.
  3. Schneider LS. Issues in design and conductance of clinical trials for cognitive-enhancing drugs. In: Animal and translational models of behavioural disorders. In: McArthur RA, Borsini F, eds. Neurological disorders. Volume 2. New York: Elsevier; 2008.
  4. Schneider LS. Prevention therapeutics of dementia. Alzheimers Dementia. 2008;4:S122–S130
  5. Mohs RC, Kawas C, Carillo MC. Optimal design of clinical trials for drugs designed to slow the course of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dementia. 2006;2:131–139
  6. Vellas B, Andrieu S, Sampaio C, Wilcock G. Disease-modifying trials in Alzheimer's disease: a European task force consensus. Lancet Neurol. 2007;6:56–62
  7. Rosen WG, Mohs RC, Davis KL. A new rating scale for Alzheimer's disease. Am J Psychiatry. 1984;141:1356–1364
  8. Morris JC. The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR): current version and scoring rules. Neurology. 1993;43:2412–2414
  9. Schneider LS, Olin JT, Doody RS, et al. Validity and reliability of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 1997;11(Suppl 2):S22–S32
  10. Galasko D, Bennett D, Sano M, et al. An inventory to assess activities of daily living for clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 1997;11(Suppl.):33S–39S
  11. Gelinas I, Gauthier L, McIntyre M, Gauthier S. Development of a functional measure for persons with Alzheimer's disease: the disability assessment for dementia. Am J Occup Ther. 1999;53:471–481
  12. Anonymous. PhRMA Web Synopsis: protocol A2581078 01 June 2008 Final—an 80-week, randomized, multi-center, parallel-group, double-blind study of the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin 80 mg plus an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor versus an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor alone in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Available at: http://pdf.clinicalstudyresults.org/documents/company-study_4374_0.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
  13. Sano M. Multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of simvastatin to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, Chicago, IL, July 26-31, 2008. Alzheimers Dementia 2008;4(Suppl 2):T200.
  14. Aisen PS, Schneider LS, Sano M, et al. High-dose B vitamin supplementation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;300:1774–1783
  15. Gauthier S, Douillet P, Doody R, Fox NC, Orgogozo JM. Effect of xaliproden, a compound with neurotrophic properties, on the progression of Alzheimer's disease: results of two large 18-month studies assessing clinical efficacy and cerebral atrophy. Presentation and poster, Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease. Montpellier: France; September 17-19, 2008;
  16. Saumier D. Lessons learned in trial design: the ALZHEMEDTM (Tramiprosate) experience. Alzheimer's Association Research Roundtable, Washington, DC, Oct 2008.
  17. Green RC, Schneider LS, Hendrix SB, et al. Safety and efficacy of tarenflurbil in subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease: results from an 18-month multi-center phase III trial—Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, Chicago, IL July 26-31, 2008. Alzheimers Dementia 2008;4(Suppl 1): P86.
  18. Gilman S. Phase II trial of bapieumuzab for Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, Chicago, IL, July 26-31, 2008. Alzheimers Dementia 2008;4(Suppl 2):T166.
  19. Wilcock GK, Black SE, Balch AH, et al. Safety and efficacy of tarenflurbil in subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease: results from an 18-month international multi-center phase 3 trial—Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. Vienna, Austria, July 13-16, 2009. Alzheimers Dementia 2009;5(Suppl 1):P86.
  20. Quinn JF, Raman R, Thomas R, et al. Omega 3 fatty acids and Alzheimer's disease: trial design and baseline study population characteristics in a clinical trial of docosahexanoic acid for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dementia. 2008;4(Suppl 1):T773
  21. McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, et al. Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimers disease: report of the NINCDS-AD Work Group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimers Disease. Neurology. 1984;34:939–944
  22. Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. “Mini-mental state”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res. 1975;12:189–198
  23. L. Farrer LA, Cupples LA, Haines JL, et al. Effects of age, sex, and ethnicity on the association between apolipoprotein E genotype and Alzheimer disease: a meta-analysis. JAMA 1997;278:1349–56.
  24. Harrison J, Minassian SL, Jenkins L, Black RS, Koller M, Grundman M. A neuropsychological test battery for use in Alzheimer disease clinical trials. Arch Neurol. 2007;64:1323–1329
  25. Mohs RC, Knopman D, Petersen RC, et al. Development of cognitive instruments for use in clinical trials of antidementia drugs: additions to the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) that broaden its scope. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 1997;11:S13–S21
  26. Schneider LS, Dagerman KS, Shaikh Z, Insel P. No secular trend and high variability for ADAS-cog change among placebo groups from clinical trials: Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, Chicago, IL, July 26-31, 2008. Alzheimers Dementia 2008;4(Suppl 2):T167.
  27. Anonymous. FDA rejects wider application of Forest Labs Alzheimer's drug. The Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2005. Available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112231577567995101.html?mod=googlewsj.
  28. Petersen RC, Thomas RG, Grundman M, et al. Vitamin E and donepezil for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:2379–2388
  29. Feldman HH, Ferris S, Winblad B, et al. Effect of rivastigmine on delay to diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease from mild cognitive impairment: the InDDEx study. Lancet Neurol. 2007;6:501–512
  30. Winblad B, Gauthier S, Scinto L, et al. Safety and efficacy of galantamine in subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Neurology. 2008;70:2024–2035
  31. Cortes F, Portet F, Touchon J, Vellas B. Six and 18-month changes in mild to moderate Alzheimer's patients treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: what can we learn for clinical outcomes of therapeutic trials?. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007;11:330–337
  32. Vellas B, Andrieu S, Sampaio C, et al. Endpoints for trials in Alzheimer's disease: a European task force consensus. Lancet Neurol. 2008;7:436–450
  33. Vellas B, Andrieu S, Cantet C, Dartigues J, Gauthier S. Long-term changes in ADAS-cog: what is clinically relevant for disease modifying trials in Alzheimer?. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007;11:338–341
  34. Sampaio C. Clinical relevance on Alzheimer's disease endpoints. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007;11:316–317

PII: S1552-5260(09)02128-1

doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2009.07.038

Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association
Volume 5, Issue 5 , Pages 388-397 , September 2009