Lilly says Alzheimer's antibody drug safe

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) antibody drug for Alzheimer's disease was safe and appeared to be dissolving sticky brain plaques, but a three-month study was too short to show any improvement in memory, company researchers said on Wednesday.

The infused therapy, known by the experimental name LY2062430, attempts to remove a brain-damaging protein called beta amyloid via antibodies that attach to individual, free-floating molecules of the protein before they can form clumps known as plaques.

"The safety profile for our antibody seems to be very, very good. We were not able to identify any side effects we could relate to the antibody," Dr. Eric Siemers, medical director of Lilly's Alzheimer's disease research, said in an interview.

That may be significant.

People with Alzheimer's disease have too much beta amyloid plaque in the brain, and the prevailing theory is that removing the plaque may slow disease progression.

Rivals Elan (ELN.I) and Wyeth WYE.N, which are developing a drug with a similar approach, said on Tuesday that 12 people in a larger, longer study treated with their antibody developed vasogenic edema, a condition marked by a build-up of fluid in the brain, although the side effect appeared to be manageable.

Siemers said the Lilly drug may avoid damaging the brain because it does not attack plaque. "It binds to individual amyloid beta molecules," he said.

FINDING THE TOXIN