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ByTomMurphy TheAssociatedPress INDIANAPOLIS An exper- imental treatment for Al- zheimer's failed again in a widely anticipated study, disappointing many who had hoped drugmaker Eli Lilly had finally found a way to slow the progres- sion of the mind-robbing disease. The drug did not work better than a placebo treat- ment in a study of more than 2,100 people with mild Alzheimer's, the company announced Wednesday. "We're incredibly sad- dened by the news," said Maria Carrillo, chief sci- ence officer of the Alzheim- er's Association, who was not involved in Lilly's re- search. "There was a lot of hope for this avenue, this approach." Alzheimer's experts had modest expectations for the drug, called solanezumab (sohl-ah-NAYZ'-uh-mab). It had already failed in two large studies in people with mild-to-moderate forms of the disease. Combined re- sults, however, suggested that the drug might work for those with the mildest symptoms. Lilly started another study, testing monthly in- fusions of the drug for 18 months in those patients. The drug binds to a pro- tein called amyloid that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The drug clears the protein from the brain before it can clump together to form a sticky plaque between nerve cells. Researchers think the protein triggers the degenerative disease, which impairs memory and thought. Amyloid still plays some role, and it's premature to abandon the notion of tar- geting it, said a specialist who has led many previ- ous failed Alzheimer's drug studies. "When you get a result like this you have to question, is it the stage of the disease, is it the partic- ular drug you are testing, or is it some combination? Or is the strategy wrong?" said Dr. Stephen Salloway, neurology chief at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. "We don't know the answer." Lilly's drug is still being studied in two other ma- jor tests. One involves pa- tients with a rare, inherited form of Alzheimer's, and the other is a prevention trial of people who have no symptoms but have depos- its of amyloid in their brain as seen on scans. At least 18 other drugs are in late-stage testing, including several similar to solanezumab. Dietary therapies, supplements and even a medical device also are being tried. "There are other ap- proaches that we need to pursue," Carrillo said. "We need to redouble our ef- forts." Scientists say the search for a better Alzheim- er's treatment presents sev- eral problems. They also be- lieve changes in the brain of a person with Alzheim- er's begin many years be- fore the patient shows symptoms. That means that by the time diagno- sis happens, the brain may be essentially too damaged for potential treatments to work. Lilly has spent about $3 billion over the past 27 years on Alzheimer's re- search. One of the drug- maker's researchers, Dr. Eric Siemers, said the lat- est results were a "bump in the road," and scientists are looking forward to learning more from the results of other potential treatments. "We're continuing to go forward, it's just not as fast as we would like," said Siemers. With more than 5 million people in the United States afflicted, Alzheim- er's is the most common form of dementia. There's no known way to prevent, cure or even slow its pro- gression. Current treat- ments on the market, like Aricept and Namenda, only temporarily ease symptoms such as memory loss, con- fusion and agitation. Alzheimer's patients typically live an average of eight years after their symptoms become notice- able, during which the disease gradually erodes their memory and ability to think or perform simple tasks. Wall Street analysts had given Lilly's drug rela- tively low odds of success. Even so, shares of India- napolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. plunged more than 10 percent, or $8.02, to $67.97 DRUGMAKER AnotherfailureinsearchfortreatmenttoslowAlzheimer's DARRONCUMMINGS—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE The Eli Lilly and Company corporate headquarters is shown in Indianapolis. Eli Lilly said Wednesday that its potential Alzheimer's treatment, solanezumab, failed in another large clinical study, ending hope that researchers had finally found a drug that can slow the fatal, mind-robbing disease. By Jeff Karoub and Corey Williams The Associated Press DETROIT A police officer is in critical condition after he was shot in the head while on patrol near a university campus in Detroit, but au- thorities said Wednesday he was probably not am- bushed. Wayne State Police Chief Anthony Holt said a suspect is being interrogated in the attack Tuesday evening on 29-year-old officer Collin Rose, whose condition Holt described as "very grave." Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Rose was on duty around 6:30 p.m. when he radioed to say he was investigating possible thefts of navigation systems from vehicles and that he was about to speak to some- one on a bike. Officers who arrived on the scene found Rose in- jured on the ground, Craig said. Authorities say ambush- style shootings on Sunday left one police officer dead in San Antonio, Texas, and another wounded in St. Louis, Missouri, underscor- ing fears in the law enforce- ment community that the uniform is increasingly be- coming a target. One-third of police of- ficers shot to death on the job this year were purposely targeted by their assailant, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. But Holt said that wasn't the case in Detroit on Tues- day. "I don't believe it was an ambush," Holt said at a news conference Wednes- day. "I don't believe he was specifically targeted" be- cause of his uniform. A suspect who has had several run-ins with police is in custody, but he has not been charged, Holt said. He said no weapon has been re- covered and that the inves- tigation is ongoing. "We're trying to put the pieces together," Holt said. University spokes- man Matt Lockwood said Wednesday morning that Rose has undergone surgery and that his parents and fi- ancee are by his side. Holt said Rose is a much- admired five-year veteran of the department who works in the canine unit. After the shooting, sev- eral dozen armed officers combed the area surround- ing the campus hunting for a suspect. According to a statement posted on the university's website, police were searching for an Af- rican-American man in his 40s with a full beard. It said he was wearing a white T- shirt with white and black lettering, a skull cap and a brown jacket. Police arrested the man without incident about three blocks from where the shooting happened, Detroit Assistant Chief Steve Dol- unt said. Wayne State police Sgt. Cary Glazer told The Asso- ciated Press he had a phys- ical run-in with the suspect five years ago. Glazer said he was patrolling the cam- pus in 2011 when the man walking in the street swore at him and told the sergeant to get out of the way. Glazer said he got out of his car and the pair strug- gled until other officers ar- rived. "He wanted to fight — he wanted to fight an officer," Glazer told The Associated Press. The man was charged with resisting and obstruct- ing police after that inci- dent. Rose was a cadet with the New Baltimore Police De- partment and had his first job as an officer with the village of Richland, Lock- wood said. Rose, a cyclist interested in dog training, graduated from Ferris State University in 2010 and was president of Sigma Phi Ep- silon fraternity. "That shows you his lead- ership right there," Lock- wood said. Glazer said he and his col- leagues are "numb" about the shooting of Rose, who he praised for being "always up to do whatever." Wayne State has more than 27,000 students and is located in the heart of De- troit. Wilson said the school employs around 65 officers. WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY Authorities say Detroit officer shooting was not an ambush MJ MURAWKA — WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY University police officer Collin Rose was shot in the head while on patrol near a university campus in Detroit on Tuesday. ★ ★ ★ SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY ® NOV. 26 GasforatriptoReddingcosts$15-$25! Shop local this Saturday and save. ARetirementCommunity 750 David Avenue Red Bluff, CA. 96080 (530) 527-9193 www.tehamaestatesretirement.com Tours Provided Daily STOVEJUNCTION The TheNorthState'spremiersupplierofstoves 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Over 25 years of experience Tues-Sat9am-5pm• ClosedSun&Mon Now Carrying! 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