The Town College of New York is pausing its investigation into a school member, an Alzheimer’s researcher accused of misconduct, the college mentioned in a remark on Friday.
Research by way of the neuroscientist, Hoau-Yan Wang, underpin an Alzheimer’s drug in complex scientific trials. The drug, simufilam, is made by way of Cassava Sciences, a pharmaceutical corporate based totally in Texas. Dr. Wang often collaborated with Lindsay H. Burns, the corporate’s leader scientist.
“As a result of questions in regards to the confidentiality and integrity of this investigation had been raised, CUNY will keep the underlying inquiry into the allegations relating to Dr. Wang’s analysis till such time because the College completes a complete investigation of the method,” the college mentioned.
Dr. Wang didn’t reply to a request for remark.
“Since September 2021, Cassava Sciences has been looking forward to a competent and credible investigation from CUNY,” Remi Barbier, Cassava’s founder and leader govt, mentioned in an e-mail. “We’re nonetheless ready.”
From the beginning, some scientists have been skeptical of simufilam’s purported mode of motion and later of Cassava’s studies of enhancements amongst its scientific trial members. Following accusations in 2021 that Dr. Wang and Cassava could have manipulated information, the Securities and Trade Fee and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being started investigating the analysis.
A committee convened by way of CUNY additionally started an investigation into Dr. Wang’s paintings and his lab’s price range over 20 years.
On Oct. 12, the magazine Science made public a draft of the committee’s record, which concluded that Dr. Wang was once “reckless” in his failure to stay or supply authentic information, an offense that “quantities to vital analysis misconduct.” (The investigators additionally concluded that Dr. Burns was once liable for mistakes in one of the crucial papers.)
CUNY declined to remark at the record on the time however mentioned it could officially unlock the record this month. Since then, critics have puzzled the objectivity of the investigators and the veracity in their descriptions of Dr. Wang’s responses to the inquiry.
On Friday, the college declined to touch upon those allegations past its legit remark.
“In line with its coverage, CUNY won’t remark at the accuracy of the investigation referenced within the articles as a result of no ultimate motion as to this investigation has been taken,” the remark mentioned.
“CUNY is dedicated to making sure that its investigative processes are held to the best procedural and moral requirements and that the equity of the lawsuits is preserved for all events,” the college added. “To that finish, any discovering relating to allegations of analysis misconduct should be dependable and credible.”
