The New York Times (7/25, Belluck) reports, “The long-elusive quest for a medication that works to treat Alzheimer’s reached a potentially promising milestone” yesterday. According to the Times, “for the first time in a large clinical trial, a drug was able to both reduce the plaques in the brains of patients and slow the progression of dementia.” The Wall Street Journal (7/25, Loftus, Subscription Publication) reports that the findings on the drug, known as BAN2401, were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Reuters (7/25, Steenhuysen) reports that the drug’s developers, “Biogen Inc. and partner Eisai Co. Ltd., said patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease treated with their experimental drug…experienced 30 percent less cognitive decline than those who got a placebo.” Meanwhile, “the second-highest dose of the drug also showed some benefit, but did not meet statistical significance, according to” the data. Reuters adds, “BAN2401 demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in amyloid plaques that was statistically significant at all doses tested, researchers said.” (SOURCE: APA Headlines)