Targacept reports positive top-line results from Phase II ADHD trial

Targacept, a biopharmaceutical company, has reported preliminary results showing that AZD3480 met the primary outcome measure in a Phase II clinical study in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

In the study, adult subjects received in random order daily doses of 5mg of AZD3480, 50mg of AZD3480 and placebo, each for two weeks with the dosing periods separated by a three-week washout period.

At 50mg AZD3480, subjects showed statistically significant (p<0.01) improvement in symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as measured by the study’s primary outcome measure, total symptom score on the Conners adult ADHD rating scale – investigator rating.

Statistically significant results were also achieved at 50mg AZD3480 on a number of secondary outcome measures in the study, including stop signal reaction time, a computerized assessment of behavioral inhibition, which is a core cognitive deficit of ADHD, the company said.

Analyses of the full dataset from the study remain ongoing. AstraZeneca and Targacept plan to present and publish more detailed results from the study shortly. AstraZeneca is expected to determine whether to conduct further development of AZD3480 in ADHD and/or Alzheimer’s disease in the second quarter of 2009.

Donald deBethizy, president and CEO of Targacept, said: These results further our belief in AZD3480’s potential to benefit patients and reinforce our longstanding commitment to the neuronal nicotinic receptor mechanism. AZD3480 has now been studied in over 1,350 subjects providing us and AstraZeneca with substantial data.