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July 30, 1998 AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - An experimental drug looks promising in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a large study presented at the 6th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The drug is called rivastigmine, also known as ENA-713. In the first large US multicenter trial of the drug, 699 patients with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease were treated with a low dose of rivastigmine, a high dose of the drug, or a placebo. After 26 weeks of treatment, patients on high-dose rivastigmine showed significant improvement compared with those taking a placebo. The magnitude of the difference was 4.94 points on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), a test used to measure forgetfulness and confusion associated with the memory-robbing disorder. The nearly 5-point difference between those who took the drug and those who took the placebo is the largest reported thus far for an anti-dementia medication, reported Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom of the University of California at Santa Barbara and colleagues at a number of other medical centers. A subset of approximately 200 patients with moderately severe or severe disease also showed a substantial improvement in their ADAS-cog score after 26 weeks of treatment, with a difference of 8 points between the high-dose rivastigmine group and placebo. "This is the first time any improvement has been reported in patients with such advanced disease, and the improvement was dramatic," said co-investigator Dr. Steven Ferris of New York University in an interview with Reuters Health. "These are the patients who are beginning to forget their name or address or don't recognize their spouses. A marked improvement in their ADAS-cog score will, in turn, enhance their ability to carry out daily activities and their overall functioning."