Alzheimer's Drug Shows Some Promise

A drug currently in experimental trials seems to be effective in battling Alzheimer's disease, the pharmaceutical companies developing it tell the Wall Street Journal. Bapineuzumab—developed by Elan and Wyeth—seems to be helpful in improving cognitive ability in those stricken by the disease, though much more so in patients who don't have a gene that increases risk of the brain disease.

With an estimated 40%-70% of suffers not possessing the Alzheimer's gene, analysts say bapineuzumab could become a blockbuster drug if it reaches market. "Many questions still have to be answered, and the devil will be in the details on issues such as specific dose response and the actual magnitude of the various results," one analyst said. The final stage of drug trial could take two years. (More Alzheimer's disease stories.)