'Very over sold': Biotech brags about PhII Alzheimer's data, but experts are underwhelmed

In a field now defined by Biogen’s Aduhelm — and the storm of controversy around it — what constitutes “industry-leading” data for an Alzheimer’s drug?

Alzheon, a little biotech developing an oral amyloid-clearing tablet, is taking a stab at it.

Reporting six-month data from a Phase II biomarker trial involving 84 patients, Alzheon announced that ALZ-801, or valiltramiprosate, spurred a 29% reduction in a biomarker called plasma p-tau181 — which it said is seven-fold greater than that triggered by other anti-amyloid antibodies. Paired with “significant improvement” in a memory test while not specifying how much, the numbers validate its approach and offer “a clear path forward with our molecules,” according to CEO Martin Tolar.