Pfizer and Janssen are funding a new online video resource for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

The pharma companies' Alzheimer's Disease Health Center is hosted by health information site The Visual MD and features a 'video booklet' explaining how the neurodegenerative disease develops and can be detected.

The video was backed by Pfizer and Janssen's collaboration the Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program (AIP), which focuses on the research, development and commercialisation of neurodegenerative products.

"[The video] project provides a rich, visual experience to learn and understand more about the causes, impact and risk factors of Alzheimer's disease," explained George Migias, senior director, commercial development, AIP - bapineuzumab.

"We hope that sharing key information about Alzheimer's disease in this cutting-edge format and forum will help people who are affected by this disease."

AIP's lead product is the humanised monoclonal antibody bapineuzumab. This is currently in phase III trials for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease but these faltered after some cases emerged in 2008 of vasogenic edema  - a brain swelling condition.

US regulators subsequently tightened trial guidelines for drugs like bapineuzumab that alter amyloid, a protein that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, making it harder to recruit patients for clinical trials.

These guidelines were relaxed in July this year, potentially kick-starting Pfizer and Janssen's research. The companies need 1,300 participants in their phase III trial programme, but having halted recruitment for this they have yet to re-start it.

Earlier this year in May, Janssen said it planned to submit bapineuzumab to US regulators for approval in 2012 or 2013.

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