Bapineuzumab.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, and there is no disease-modifying therapy yet available. Immunotherapy directed against the beta-amyloid peptide may be capable of slowing the rate of disease progression. Bapineuzumab, an anti-beta-amyloid monoclonal antibody, will be the first such agent to emerge from Phase III clinical trials.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: The primary literature on bapineuzumab from 2009 and 2010 is reviewed in its entirety, along with the literature on AN1792, a first-generation anti-beta-amyloid vaccine, from 2003 to 2009. Other Alzheimer's disease immunotherapeutics currently in development, according to www.clinicaltrials.gov , are also discussed.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: In addition to a critical appraisal of the Phase II trial results for bapineuzumab, this review considers the broader field of immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease as a whole, including the challenges ahead.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Bapineuzumab appears capable of reducing the cerebral beta-amyloid peptide burden in patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, particularly in APOE 4 carriers, its ability to slow disease progression remains uncertain, and vasogenic edema - a dose-limiting and potentially severe adverse reaction - may limit its clinical applicability.