title: Solanezumab for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative illness affecting over 35 million people worldwide. Solanezumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to β-amyloid (Aβ), a protein that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AD. The drug is currently being investigated in Phase III trials as a disease-modifying treatment for AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper reviews literature on solanezumab that is available in PubMed from 2008 to 2010, other treatment trials in clinicaltrials.gov and published abstracts from conferences. The article also provides a discussion of the early trials of AN1792 and an overview of the immunotherapies currently in development. The authors provide the reader with a critical appraisal of the to-date clinical trial data on solanezumab and its implications for the broader field of immunotherapies for AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Solanezumab can neutralize soluble Aβ peptides, which may represent the more neurotoxic of the Aβ species. Phase II findings support the compound's safety, which has been a concern for some Aβ immunotherapies. Cerebrospinal and plasma biomarker changes with solanezumab treatment are encouraging. Results of the ongoing Phase III trials will be instrumental in determining the drug's clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 760 Westwood Plaza RM C8-193, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Samadi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sultzer
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C550616:solanezumab