Lilly’s Alzheimer’s disaster spells trouble for entire class

Eli Lilly's latest pratfall in the Alzheimer's arena could cause plenty of sleepless nights in the burgeoning research field. As Bloomberg reports, Lilly's Alzheimer's therapy works much like a number of other therapies in the pipeline--and a disaster for one could spell big trouble for all. For decades many researchers have operated under the assumption that the buildup of amyloid in the brain causes Alzheimer's, a memory-wasting disease that is claiming millions of new victims. But the...

Eli Lilly bets big on late-stage Alzheimer’s drugs

Alzheimer's has long been one of the most difficult and confusing targets in drug development. But lured by the prospect of mega-blockbuster revenue for any new drug that alleviates key symptoms of the memory-wasting disease, Eli Lilly has wagered heavily on two late-stage programs, with more therapies being tested further down the pipeline. Barclays' Tony Butler told Bloomberg that a drug that demonstrates an ability to reduce memory loss should be able to garner $5 billion in annual sales....