TORONTO -- The antiviral agent valacyclovir demonstrated no benefit in early Alzheimer's disease, the phase II VALAD trial showed.

On the primary outcome of change in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale of 11 tasks (ADAS-Cog11) scores, worsening was greater with valacyclovir than placebo at 78 weeks (difference 3.91 points, 95% CI 1.03-6.8, P =0.01), reported Davangere P. Devanand, MD, of Columbia University in New York City, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference .

Scores on the ADAS-Cog11 range from 0 to 70, with higher scores indicating worse impairment. In VALAD, ADAS-Cog11 differences at earlier timepoints -- 12, 26, and 52 weeks -- were not significant between groups but were in the same direction.

Scores on the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperat

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