Pfizer Inc will present new data on its investigational compounds targeting various aspects of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a complex degenerative brain disorder. New findings on the role of comorbidities, the burden of care and costs associated with AD, also will be discussed. These data, some in collaboration with our partners, will be presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010 (ICAD 2010) in Honolulu.

"Biomedical research and development is very risky; for every new medicine that makes it to market, thousands must be screened in discovery. For a complex condition such as Alzheimer's disease, which has multiple factors contributing to its onset and progression, the challenges are even greater," said Steve Romano, vice president, medical affairs head, Pfizer Primary Care Business Unit. "The breadth of data being presented at ICAD 2010 highlights Pfizer's strategic approach to the discovery and development of potential new medicines as it underscores our effort to focus on a range of promising pathological targets. We are committed to advancing the science of AD, with the ultimate goal of delivering innovative and meaningful new treatment options to patients."

The compounds in Pfizer's pipeline target many of the pathways thought to be implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The data that will be presented at ICAD 2010 focus on several of these approaches, including:

Beta Amyloid Passive Immunotherapy: The most prominent theory currently is the beta amyloid hypothesis, which is based on evidence that the accumulation of beta amyloid, a toxic protein, is a defining characteristic of AD. It is believed that reducing brain beta amyloid accumulation by inhibiting the production of beta amyloid and/or removing beta amyloid from the brain may slow the progression of the disease. In passive immunotherapy, monoclonal antibodies are directed against beta amyloid facilitating removal of beta amyloid and thus reducing its accumulation in the brain.

Pfizer, together with Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy, its collaborator on the Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Programme, is presenting a new exploratory analysis of pooled data from two phase-II studies on an investigational monoclonal antibody therapy. Pfizer also is presenting several phase-I studies on another investigational monoclonal antibody therapy.