FDA ACCEPTS EISAI'S SNDA FOR ARICEPT

Eisai has reported that the FDA has accepted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Aricept (donepezil HCl tablets) for treatment of severe Alzheimer's disease.

Aricept is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and is believed to work by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, thereby increasing available levels of this chemical in the brain. There is an established association between the loss of acetylcholine, a brain chemical involved in memory and thinking, and Alzheimer's disease.