Forest Laboratories said its experimental drug memantine significantly improved the memory of Alzheimer patients and their ability to perform daily tasks after six months of treatment.

The company, which submitted memantine to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval in July (see earlier Alzheimer Week story), said that in a Phase III trial involving 403 patients, a significant benefit was obsered when memantine was added to their regular treatment with Aricept®.

"The study results were consistent with the favorable effects previously demonstrated after memantine treatment alone in this same population," said Dr. Lawrence S. Olanoff, Executive Vice President.

"Further, the study showed that memantine in combination with donepezil produced improvement over the six month study period in cognition in contrast with most other treatment studies in Alzheimer's patients which have demonstrated only a slowing of the expected decline in cognition," Olanoff said.

Olanoff said the six-month results will be communicated to the FDA in support of their filing for approval, and full study results will be available for filing by the end of the year.

Other sources: Forest Laboratories