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Alzheimer’s drug benefit lasts over 18 months

Patients taking Dimebon improved in cognition, memory, researchers say

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updated 3:13 p.m. ET July 30, 2008

CHICAGO - A drug for Alzheimer's disease made by Medivation Inc called Dimebon kept symptoms at bay for 18 months, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The results, which were set to be presented at the Alzheimer's Association's international meeting in Chicago later on Wednesday, found Dimebon was safe and continued to benefit people who took it for a year-and-a-half.

"The most important thing from my point of view is there were no new safety issues that emerged with longer exposure of the patients," said Dr. Jeffrey Cummings of the University of California Los Angeles, who helped with the study.

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The results from the 183-patient study conducted in Russia found people continued to improve, with benefits seen in cognition, memory, activities of daily living and behavior.

Copyright 2008 Reuters. Click for restrictions.