Making the most of animal data – improving the prospect of success in pragmatic trials in the neurosciences

Introduction Developing disease modifying treatments for neurodegenerative disease and stroke has proved remarkably difficult. It may be that current structures in the pharmaceutical industry encourage early clinical trials designed on the basis of exciting but incomplete preclinical data in order to protect competitive advantage. An overly generous reading of animal data may lead to underpowered clinical trials testing treatments at inappropriate time points and at ineffective (but side-effect free) doses. Trials based on a systematic analysis of animal data may have a better prospect of success. Here, we report such an analysis of interventions tested in transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).