20 years in, Genentech persists and perseveres in Alzheimer's with gantenerumab

Genentech’s Gregory Rippon, M.D., associates a few different phrases with the challenging nature of Alzheimer’s disease drug development: “cautious optimism,” “steady progress,” “an exercise in persistence and perseverance” and “following the science.”

The Roche unit has been working on gantenerumab for 20 years, and, with the recent breakthrough in Alzheimer’s, it might be tempting to wonder why the company isn’t closer to market. But Rippon, who serves as vice president and chief medical partner at Genentech, says the company is not about to rush the data at this point.