Elan will not resume testing of AN-1792, the experimental drug under development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, the company said today.
In early January, Wyeth and Elan suspended testing of AN-1792 after learning that four patients in France were reported to have experienced clinical signs consistent with inflammation in the central nervous system.
Since the companies halted dosing in January, eleven additional patients were reported with symptoms associated with CNS inflammation.
Dr Ivan Lieberburg, Elan's chief scientific and medical officer said in a statement: "The well-being of patients is always our paramount concern. Our decision to first suspend dosing, and now permanently discontinue dosing in this exploratory phase of clinical research with this single compound, in our opinion, remains in the best interest of the health and safety of patients."