Lilly’s Alzheimer’s EXPEDITION3 Proves Positive For Biogen’s Anti-Amyloid At CTAD

The presentation of Eli Lilly & Co.’s unsuccessful Phase III EXPEDITION3 clinical trial for solanezumab was supposed to be the main event on the first day of the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference on Dec. 8 in San Diego, but updated results from the Phase Ib trial for Biogen’s earlier-stage amyloid-clearing antibody aducanumab stole the show after abstracts were leaked online.

Lilly has committed to sharing its data from the company’s now three failed Phase III studies for solanezumab and a company executive told Scrip that the EXPEDITION3 results, while disappointing, will be illuminating for the Alzheimer’s research field. The study of solanezumab in 2,129 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease already has shed some positive light on Biogen’s antibody, since aducanumab had a greater effect on amyloid and generated dose-dependent responses in its ongoing Phase Ib study