Drugmakers have struggled to find a response to the devastating progression of Alzheimer’s disease. But the FDA has now stepped in to lower the bar for medication approvals.
Just days after Merck & Co. announced that it is discontinuing an Alzheimer’s drug trial, the FDA released new guidelines for success. Previously, new medications had to demonstrate an improvement in both cognitive and physical functions. Now, the FDA says that an improvement in biomarkers could suffice in patients who don’t have symptoms but are showing a risk for Alzheimer’s through cognitive testing.
The change could not only encourage earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s risk, but give drugmakers more confidence to keep searching for a treatment. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s.
Read the full Reuters report.