Another Killer Pharmaceutical - Reminyl!

Testing squashes new use for drug

Sunday, January 23, 2005
ASSOCIATED PRESS



RARITAN - Patients taking the Alzheimer's drug Reminyl in a test for another use had higher death rates than those taking a placebo, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development LLC announced Friday.

The patients had mild cognitive impairment, and the J&J company is no longer pursuing Reminyl as a treatment for the condition and has not submitted any applications for such use, spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said.

Reminyl was approved in 2001 as a treatment for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. The higher death rate was not observed in Alzheimer's trials, Goodrich said.

Though mild cognitive impairment can be a precursor to Alzheimer's, it does not always progress to the disease or dementia, she said.

"The health authorities that are reviewing this data ... are still supporting its use for the approved indication, which is mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease," Goodrich said. It is approved in 69 nations for that use. The number of users was not available, she said.

The company is analyzing the data and discussing it with regulators.

The Raritan-based company said it presented the information to authorities worldwide over the summer, and at two medical conferences.

The investigational studies involved 2,000 patients in 16 countries over two years. Mortality rates were low in both the Reminyl and placebo groups, compared with expected rates in this population or in patients with Alzheimer's. Of 20 deaths, 15 were among the group taking Reminyl, the company said.

J&J stock fell 64 cents or 1 percent to 61.85 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.


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