Merck Sharp and Dohme presents new Alzheimer’s drug data

Merck Sharp and Dohme has outlined its plans to present new Alzheimer's disease drug data at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Canada this week.

The company is attending the Vancouver event to present results from multiple preclinical and clinical studies investigating the safety and efficacy of beta-amyloid precursor protein site-cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitors.

These include MK-8931, the company's lead Alzheimer's disease compound, which has been trialled among a number of different patient groups in various regimens and formulations.

Dr Darryle Schoepp, senior vice-president and head of the neuroscience and ophthalmology franchise at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "Merck is committed to discovering and developing novel medicines to treat neurodegenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and dementia, and is focused on rapidly advancing its BACE inhibitor programme."

This comes after the company recently highlighted clinical data for its type 2 diabetes therapy Januvia, demonstrating the benefits the compound can offer to Muslim patients who are fasting during Ramadan.