Another failure in search for treatment to slow Alzheimer's

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An experimental treatment for Alzheimer's failed again in a widely anticipated study, disappointing many who had hoped drugmaker Eli Lilly had finally found a way to slow the progression of the mind-robbing disease.

The drug did not work better than a placebo treatment in a study of more than 2,100 people with mild Alzheimer's, the company announced Wednesday.

The drug binds to a protein called amyloid that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

The drug clears the protein from the brain before it can clump together to form a sticky plaque between nerve cells.

Amyloid still plays some role, and it's premature to abandon the notion of targeting it, said a specialist who has led many previous failed Alzheimer's drug studies.

Alzheimer's patients typically live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable, during which the disease gradually erodes their memory and ability to think or perform simple tasks.