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Atabecestat

Phase 2

Alzheimer Disease | Small molecule | Neurology |Johnson & Johnson|Trials Updated: Apr 29, 2025

Atabecestat development status

Highest phase Phase 2 (NCT02569398)
Phase scored for JNJPhase 1
Registered trials 8 across 2 sponsors since Jul 2014

Atabecestat target and mechanism

Molecular targetBACE1
Target classInhibitor
ModalitySmall molecule

Also known as JNJ-54861911

Success Probability

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Market & Valuation

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Trial Design

ACTIVE_CONTROLLED
Total Trials4
Total Enrollment186

FDA Designations

No designations recorded

Atabecestat clinical trials

Atabecestat · 4 trials · 2 indications

Phase 2 1Phase 1 2Early Phase 1 1
NCT02260674A Safety and Tolerability Study of JNJ-54861911 in Participants With Early Alzheimer's DiseaseAlzheimer's Disease
COMPLETED114 Analytics
PHASE2COMPLETED
A Safety and Tolerability Study of JNJ-54861911 in Participants With Early Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's DiseaseUnlock trial analytics

Study Endpoints

Primary Endpoints

Number of Participants With Adverse Events (AEs) or Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)
up to 10 months

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant who received study drug without regard to possibility of causal relationship. An SAE is an AE resulting in any of the following outcomes or deemed significant for any other reason: death; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; lifethreatening experience (immediate risk of dying); persistent or significant disability/incapacity; congenital anomaly.

Levels of Amyloid (A)-beta1-40 in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) After Treatment at the Intended Target Dose Range
Up to 4 weeks
Levels of A-beta1-40 in Plasma After Treatment at the Intended Target Dose Range
Up to 4 weeks
Maximum Observed Plasma Concentration (Cmax) of JNJ 54861911
Up to 4 weeks

The Cmax is the maximum observed plasma concentration.

Minimum Observed Plasma Concentration (Cmin) of JNJ 54861911
Up to 4 weeks

The Cmin is the minimum observed plasma concentration.

Time to Reach Maximum Observed Concentration (Tmax) of JNJ 54861911
Up to 4 weeks

The Tmax is time to reach the maximum observed plasma concentration.

Area Under the Curve From Time Zero to end of Dosing Interval (AUCtau)
Up to 4 weeks

The AUCtau is a measure of the plasma drug concentration from time zero to end of dosing interval. It is used to characterize drug absorption.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Exposure of JNJ-54861911
Up to 4 weeks
The Number of Participants who Experienced Adverse Events as a Measure of Safety and Tolerability of JNJ-54861911 After Multiple-Dose Administration in the Anticipated Target Dose Range
Up to 4 weeks

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant who received study drug without regard to possibility of causal relationship. An SAE is an AE resulting in any of the following outcomes or deemed significant for any other reason: death; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; life-threatening experience (immediate risk of dying); persistent or significant disability/incapacity; congenital anomaly.

Levels of amyloid beta 1-40 in cerebrospinal (CSF) after treatment at the intended target dose range
Up to 4 weeks
Levels of amyloid beta 1-40 in plasma after treatment at the intended target dose range
Up to 4 weeks
Maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax) of JNJ-54861911
Up to 4 weeks

Cmax is the observed maximum plasma concentration of study drug, taken directly from the plasma concentration-time profile

Time to reach maximum observed plasma concentration of JNJ-54861911
Up to 4 weeks

Time when Cmax is observed, taken directly from the plasma concentration-time profile

Area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) from 0 to t hours of JNJ-54861911
Up to 4 weeks

Area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to t hours post dosing (time t is the dosing interval)

Half-life of JNJ-54861911
Up to 4 weeks

Elimination half-life associated with the terminal slope of the semi-logarithmic drug concentration-time curve, calculated as 0.693/terminal slope

The number of volunteers who experience adverse events as a measure of safety and tolerability of JNJ-54861911 after multiple-dose administration in the anticipated target dose range
Up to 4 weeks
Number of Participants with Atabecestat-Specific T-cell Mediated Inflammatory Immune Response
Day 1

Number of Participants with Atabecestat-Specific T-cell Mediated Inflammatory Immune Response (via cluster of differentiation \[CD\] 4+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cells) will be determined.

Secondary Endpoints

Relationship Between Dose and Exposure of JNJ-54861911 With Safety
Month 1 up to Month 6
Percent Change From Baseline in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Amyloid Beta (ABeta) (1-37, 1-38, 1-40, 1-42) Levels and Soluble Amyloid Precursor Protein (sAPP) Fragments (sAPP-alpha, sAPP-beta), Total sAPP Levels
Baseline and Month 6
Percent Change From Baseline in Plasma ABeta 1-40 Levels and sAPP Fragments (sAPP-alpha, sAPP-beta), Total sAPP Levels
Baseline and Month 6 (Day 168)
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Study Design & Arms

AllocationRANDOMIZED
MaskingDOUBLE
ModelPARALLEL
PurposeTREATMENT

Treatment Arms

ArmTypeDescription
Treatment Group 1EXPERIMENTALParticipants will self-administer JNJ-54861911, two tablets of 5 milligram (mg) each for a total of 10 mg, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6.
Treatment Group 2EXPERIMENTALParticipants will self-administer JNJ-54861911, two tablets of 25 mg each for a total of 50 mg, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6.
PlaceboPLACEBO_COMPARATORPlacebo matched to JNJ-54861911, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6.
JNJ-54861911, 10 mgEXPERIMENTALJNJ-54861911, 10 milligram (mg) (2\*5 mg tablet) orally once daily for 4 weeks.
JNJ-54861911, 50 mgEXPERIMENTALJNJ-54861911, 50 mg (2\*25 mg tablet) orally once daily for 4 weeks.
JNJ-54861911 10 mgEXPERIMENTALFrom Day 1 to Day 28 inclusive, patients will self-administer once daily study drug (JNJ-54861911 or placebo) with a glass of non-carbonated water (approximately 200 mL).
JNJ-54861911 50 mgEXPERIMENTAL -
Participants with Elevated Liver EnzymesEXPERIMENTALBlood samples will be collected on Day 1 from participants previously treated with atabecestat and who had elevated liver enzymes while on atabecestat.
Participants Without Elevated Liver EnzymesACTIVE_COMPARATORBlood samples will be collected on Day 1 from participants who completed at least 3 months of dosing with atabecestat and who did not have the elevated liver enzymes (adverse event) while on atabecestat.

Interventions

NameTypeDescription
JNJ-54861911, 10 milligram (mg)DRUGParticipants will self-administer JNJ-54861911, two tablets of 5 mg each for a total of 10 mg, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6 in treatment group 1.
JNJ-54861911, 50 mgDRUGParticipants will self-administer JNJ-54861911, two tablets of 25 mg each for a total of 50 mg, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6 in treatment group 2.
PlaceboDRUGPlacebo matched to JNJ-54861911, orally, once daily, from Day 1 until Month 6 in placebo group.
JNJ-54861911, 10 mgDRUGJNJ-54861911, 10 mg (2\*5 mg tablet) orally once daily for 4 weeks.
JNJ-54861911 10 mgDRUGJNJ-54861911 10 mg will be administered as two 5 mg oral tablets once daily.
JNJ-54861911 50 mgDRUGJNJ-54861911 50 mg will be administered as two 25 mg oral tablets once daily.
AtabecestatDRUGBlood samples will be collected from participants previously treated with atabecestat.
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Eligibility Criteria

Age Range50 Years to 85 Years
SexALL
Healthy VolunteersNo
Study Sites19

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants in the early alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum must have a global Clinical Dementia Rating Scale( CDR) score of 0 (asymptomatic at risk for AD) to 0.5 prodromal AD (pAD) inclusive * Participants must have evidence of amyloid pathology by means of either: a) low Ce...

Countries:BelgiumFranceGermanyNetherlandsSpainSwedenJapan
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Frequently asked questions about Atabecestat

What is Atabecestat used for?

Atabecestat was developed for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. It is an investigational small molecule that was studied in early clinical development. It is not an approved therapy, and no Phase 1 trial of Atabecestat is currently active.

What does Atabecestat target?

Atabecestat targets BACE1, also known as beta-secretase 1. It acts as a BACE1 inhibitor, a class of small molecules designed to interfere with the enzyme's activity. BACE1 is involved in the production of amyloid beta peptides in the brain.

Who is developing Atabecestat?

Atabecestat was developed by Johnson & Johnson, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker JNJ. The compound is also identified by the research code JNJ-54861911 and the ChEMBL identifier CHEMBL3916243.

What phase is Atabecestat in?

Atabecestat is in Phase 1 development. It is an investigational drug and is not FDA approved. The only recorded trial is an early Phase 1 study that has been completed, and no active trials are ongoing.

What clinical trials is Atabecestat in?

Atabecestat was studied in one completed early Phase 1 trial, NCT03587376, titled Characterization of T-Cell Response in Participants Previously Treated With JNJ-54861911 (Atabecestat). The trial enrolled 9 participants with Alzheimer disease across Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden.

Is Atabecestat the same as JNJ-54861911?

Yes, Atabecestat is the same compound as JNJ-54861911. JNJ-54861911 is the research code used by Johnson & Johnson for this BACE1 inhibitor. Both names refer to the same investigational small molecule studied in Alzheimer disease.