Posted by ed_uk on August 13, 2005, at 9:52:49
Data on Alzheimer’s treatment galantamine (Reminyl) are being reviewed after a preliminary analysis last
year indicated that three times more patients taking Reminyl died compared to those receiving placebo.
The studies (GAL-INT-11 and GAL-INT-18) included 2000 patients and were designed to evaluate a
potential decrease in the rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Overall, there were
20 deaths, 15 in the Reminyl group, and five in the placebo-treated group. Johnson & Johnson states that
"overall mortality rates were low in both the Reminyl and placebo groups compared to this particular
population or in AD patients." The company is currently analysing additional data from the studies, including
information retrieved from subjects who had dropped out of the trials, and is discussing the results with
regulatory authorities.
poster:ed_uk
thread:541028
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050811/msgs/541028.html