Cassava Sciences Halts Alzheimer’s Drug Trials Following Phase 3 Failure

The biotech firm’s experimental drug simufilam failed to demonstrate efficacy, leading to plummeting stock prices and a reevaluation of its future.

Cassava Sciences announced the failure of its Phase 3 trial for simufilam, an investigational Alzheimer’s treatment, which did not meet primary or secondary endpoints.
The company has discontinued its second Phase 3 trial and an open-label extension study following the disappointing results.
Simufilam’s safety profile remained favorable, but the drug showed no significant reduction in cognitive or functional decline compared to a placebo.
Cassava has faced scrutiny over allegations of data manipulation in earlier trials, leading to a $40 million settlement with the SEC in September 2024.
The company’s stock value plummeted by over 80%, raising uncertainty about its future as simufilam was its only drug in clinical trials.