BioCentury
ARTICLE | Clinical News

Merck's verubecestat reduces beta amyloid levels but fails to improve cognition, function

May 4, 2018 5:36 PM UTC

Data published in the New England Journal of Medicine from the discontinued Phase II/III EPOCH trial in 1,958 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease showed that verubecestat (MK-8931) from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) reduced beta amyloid levels but failed to improve cognition. Merck discontinued EPOCH in February 2017 after an external DMC determined that the trial had “virtually no chance of finding a positive clinical effect.” Verubecestat is a beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) inhibitor (see BioCentury, Feb. 14, 2017).

Earlier this year, Merck stopped the Phase III APECS trial of verubecestat to treat prodromal AD after an external DMC said it was unlikely the trial would establish a positive benefit-risk profile for the candidate (see BioCentury, Feb. 16)...

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