Press Release Schwabe on the publication of the GuidAge®-Study

Findings by French scientists suggest that protection against Alzheimer´s disease can only be expected following long-term regular use of Ginkgo Extract EGb 761®. Use for a minimum of four years nearly halved the risk of developing Alzheimer´s disease.

As early as 2010, results of the randomized double-blind "GuidAge®" study (Ipsen Farma S.A.S.) were published. The clinical lead of the study, Professor Bruno Vellas of Toulouse University, commented at the time - "Results of this clinical study need to be confirmed in further studies, but they are encouraging and open up new perspectives"1. The scientists have now published further details of the study ("Long-term use of standardised ginkgo biloba extract for the prevention of Alzheimer´s disease (GuidAge®): a randomized placebo-controlled trial"), in which 2,854 healthy adults with memory deficiency complaints received a daily dose of either 240 mg EGb 761® or a placebo, in the scientific journal Lancet Neurology2. The Ginkgo extract was tolerated as well as the placebo.

The study does not yet provide final evidence for a protective action because the total number of Alzheimer´s cases was unexpectedly low in the study population. Out of 2,820 study participants with sufficient data for evaluation who had spontaneously mentioned memory deficiencies to their general practitioner, 30 % left the study prematurely. As the incidence of Alzheimer´s disease onset in the study population was also nearly two thirds lower than anticipated at the time of study planning (4.8 % in the study versus 13.8 % expected), the number of dementia cases was not sufficient to statistically prove the protective action. However, a planned evaluation of study participants who had been treated for a minimum of 4 years found a reduction of the Alzheimer´s risk of 47%.

"Evidence of the effective action of the specific EGb 761® Ginkgo extract on existing mental deficiencies is available from many studies" stressed professor Michael Habs, director of the company Dr. Willmar Schwabe. "Even though GuidAge® failed for methodological reasons to prove a comprehensive effect in the prevention of Alzheimer´s dementia yet, we feel encouraged by the very positive signals to further investigate the benefit of EGb 761® at the first signs of memory disturbances."

EGb 761® is a herbal drug for the treatment of cognitive impairment. It contains the special Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® developed by Dr. Willmar Schwabe. For more than 20 years the effects, efficacy and tolerability of EGb 761® have been systematically investigated, thus making EGb 761® today the best researched and documented herbal extract worldwide.

Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG is a world leader in the development and production of herbal drugs. Schwabe Group has approx. 3,700 employees on all five continents; headquarters are based in Karlsruhe, Germany.

1 Press release IPSEN, 22. 06. 2010. http://www.ipsen.com/sites/default/files/communiques-presse/PR%20GuidAge%20Results%20FINAL%20EN.pdf

2 Vellas B et al.: The Lancet Neurology, published online 06. September 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70206-5