Fighting a Looming Epidemic

The effects are devastating for patients, families and communities as loved ones drift away. The current annual worldwide cost of Alzheimer's disease is estimated at $315 billion and, with aging populations, this social burden is only expected to increase.

In response, Pfizer has committed itself to a collaborative global effort, involving public and private interests, to manage the effects of Alzheimer's disease. In addition to our own substantial research program, we aim both to raise awareness and provide a unified, global voice for all those with a stake in Alzheimer's disease research, care and advocacy.

At Pfizer, we are urgently working on multiple approaches to treating Alzheimer's disease and are optimistic that new solutions may be within our reach.

One treatment in Phase III clinical trials is bapineuzumab, being developed by Pfizer and Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Bapineuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody to the beta-amyloid plaques that are theorized to contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Bapineuzumab came to Pfizer as a result of the Wyeth acquisition. Pfizer's pipeline includes other compounds designed to address Alzheimer's disease, across a range of mechanisms.

In our clinical trials, safety and efficacy of new approaches are being assessed across all stages of Alzheimer's disease, both as single therapies and in combination with currently available "standard of care" therapies. We are hoping that one or more of our advanced programs will bear fruit, offering new options for effective, safe Alzheimer's disease treatments.