The End of ALT-711 / Alagebrium

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Alagebrium is an AGE-breaker, a compound that dissolves some forms of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), compounds implicated in the damage of aging. Unfortunately, the specific types of AGEs affected by alagebrium, also known as ALT-711, are more important in rats than humans. The promising results in animals were never replicated in human studies. It now seems that the company running human trials to find some beneficial use for alagebrium is giving up the ghost: "Synvista Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that, following a review of its clinical development portfolio and its current financial status, the Board of Directors and management have determined that it is in the best interest of the Company to focus its resources on maximizing the value of its diagnostic assets and to terminate all ongoing clinical trials of its product candidates alagebrium ... In light of the Company's cash position and current negative economic and capital markets conditions, if the Company is unable to enter into such transactions in a timely manner, the Company's ability to continue operations beyond the second quarter of 2009 is in doubt."

Link: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=100218&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1249435