Long-term therapy with Axura®

At the end of the double-blind phase in the study by Reisberg et al.also the patients who had previously received placebo were given the option of being treated with 20 mg/d memantine in an open extension phase. 175 out of 181 patients who had completed the preceding 6-month double-blind phase took memantine (20 mg/d) for a further 6 months [EPAR, 2002; Reisberg et al., 2003]. Clinical global impression, activities of daily living and cognition were investigated in the 6-month period at week 12 and 24 (end of the extension phase).

Results

The results of the 6-month open label phase confirm the clinically relevant and lasting efficacy of memantine and show in all three main domains (CIBIC plus, ADCS-ADLsev und SIB) that the patients' skills improved when they were switched from placebo to memantine therapy (20 mg/d).

Abstract

Long-Term treatment with the NMDA-Antagonist Memantine: Results of a 24 week,open-label extension study in advanced Alzheimer's Disease Reisberg B et al. (2002). Neurobiology of Aging, 23 (1S): S555. (Abstract)