Dimebon and Alzheimer's disease

BrianD3

I did a search and was surprised to find no mention of the drug Dimebon on this site. An antihistamine that is also a "promising" drug for treating Alzheimer's disease. Currently in clinical trials. I have been reading about this for over a year and now I think the first phase III trial is due to be completed in March.

It is unknown how or if this drug works, it won't be a "cure" anyway. But if the trial results are good, it could make a significant difference to patients. On the other hand it could be useless. The share price of the company that makes it, Medivation, may well soar or plummet when the result of the trial is made public.

And on a related topic, today the BBC have reported that dementia costs the UK 23 billion per year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8493248.stm

BrianD3

SNAKE OIL

Medivation's Dimebon fails Phase III for Alzheimer's, shares collapse
http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/breaking-news-medivations-dimebon-fails-phase-iii-alzheimers/2010-03-03

locum-motion

BrianD3 wrote: »

SNAKE OIL

Medivation's Dimebon fails Phase III for Alzheimer's, shares collapse
http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/breaking-news-medivations-dimebon-fails-phase-iii-alzheimers/2010-03-03

Assuming for the moment that the article you've linked is accurate, I don't think it's fair call it Snake Oil.
A clinical trial has failed to show benefit. That's not the same as marketing an ineffective product fraudulently, which is what is implied by the term Snake Oil.

BrianD3

Article is accurate, it is based on Medivation's own press release. Point taken about the snake oil comment. I guess it is just really disappointing that this drug has failed to show benefit over a placebo in its first phase III trial.