The latest results from Lundbeck's (CPH: LUN) Phase 3 trials investigating its Alzheimer's drug follow a terrible week for Alzheimer's disease research, Pharma File reported on Friday.

Following positive Phase 2 results, Lundbeck progressed to three Phase 3 trials, involving 2,525 patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease. Participants received differing doses of the drug (10mg, 30mg or 60mg).

However, the results from all three trials showed no significant effect on the primary outcome of slowing cognitive decline. What's more, there was no differentiation between the different doses against placebo.

This follows the news that Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) was shutting down its Alzheimer's research programme following poor trial results, and Axovant (NASDAQ: AXON) also reported its lead candidate had failed in its clinical trial.

Writing in an editorial piece for the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago, Dr David Bennett argued that while the lack of progress is frustrating, the "field is generating knowledge at an unprecedented rate" and noted that even failures are adding to the understanding of the disease.