Summary
Rivastigmine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. No registered clinical trial in this database tests Rivastigmine specifically in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 15 publications for this pair: 5 Cochrane reviews, 3 meta-analyses, 2 randomised controlled trial publications and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2016 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias ranks 705 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Progressive and irreversible by definition; MMSE decline 1.07-3.4 points/year untreated; no spontaneous remission.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 50.0 (trials 0.0, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 15 (5 Cochrane reviews, 5 clinical trial publications, 3 meta-analyses, 2 randomised controlled trial publications) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
No registered trial links Rivastigmine to Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication Efficacy and safety of a novel, extended-release rivastigmine transdermal patch (TW-4752N) in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A 24-week randomized, double-blind trial with a 28-week open-label extensionNakamura Y, Kurokawa T, Terashima S et al. · Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026 · PMID 41364455
- Cochrane review Cost-effectiveness of traditional and novel neurotherapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease: A systematic reviewJiang X, Lv G, Xiong X et al. · Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026 · PMID 41837605
- Cochrane review Comparative safety of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine for dementia: a protocol for a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsAbouelmagd ME, Almosilhy NA, Makhlouf HA et al. · Systematic reviews · 2025 · PMID 41188985
- Cochrane review Rapid health technology assessment of galantamine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: A reviewXing B, Yang J, Hua H et al. · Medicine · 2025 · PMID 40489822
- Meta-analysis Bridging the gap: Efficacy of combined therapies for cognitive, behavioral, and functional outcomes in Alzheimer's disease - results from a systematic review and network meta-analysisBoongird C, Anothaisintawee T, Tearneukit W et al. · Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2025 · PMID 41042837
- Cochrane review Effects of rivastigmine on gait in patients with neurodegenerative disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysisShim SR, Kim JY, Kwon KY et al. · PloS one · 2024 · PMID 39666629
- Cochrane review Effect of long-term pharmacological treatments on Alzheimer disease: A systematic review and network meta-analysisDeng X, Li D · Medicine · 2024 · PMID 39312316
- Meta-analysis Evaluating the efficacy and safety of Alzheimer's disease drugs: A meta-analysis and systematic reviewChen Y, Lai M, Tao M · Medicine · 2024 · PMID 38640313
- Meta-analysis Safety and efficacy of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysisGao Y, Liu Y, Li Y · Advances in clinical and experimental medicine : official organ Wroclaw Medical University · 2024 · PMID 38439609
- Clinical trial publication Comparative Bioavailability Study of a Novel Multi-Day Patch Formulation of Rivastigmine (Twice Weekly) with Exelon® Transdermal Patch (Daily)- A Randomized Clinical TrialSchurad B, Koch C, Schug B et al. · Current Alzheimer research · 2022 · PMID 36017827
- Clinical trial publication Rivastigmine improves dual-task gait velocity in patients with Alzheimer's diseaseShimura H, Saiko A, Hayashi A et al. · BMC neurology · 2021 · PMID 33568083
- Clinical trial publication Sixteen-Week Interventional Study to Evaluate the Clinical Effects and Safety of Rivastigmine Capsules in Chinese Patients with Alzheimer's DiseaseJia J, Ji Y, Feng T et al. · Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2019 · PMID 31744005
- Clinical trial publication Effect of Idalopirdine as Adjunct to Cholinesterase Inhibitors on Change in Cognition in Patients With Alzheimer Disease: Three Randomized Clinical TrialsAtri A, Frölich L, Ballard C et al. · JAMA · 2018 · PMID 29318278
- Randomized controlled trial Adherence and Tolerability of Alzheimer's Disease Medications: A Pragmatic Randomized TrialCampbell NL, Perkins AJ, Gao S et al. · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2017 · PMID 28295141
- Randomized controlled trial Effects of Renal Impairment on Steady-State Plasma Concentrations of Rivastigmine: A Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Capsule and Patch Formulations in Patients with Alzheimer's DiseaseLefèvre G, Callegari F, Gsteiger S et al. · Drugs & aging · 2016 · PMID 27681702
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rivastigmine approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
Rivastigmine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Rivastigmine in clinical trials for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Rivastigmine specifically in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Rivastigmine in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias?
Synthesis-level literature links Rivastigmine to Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, but no registered trial in this database tests the pair, so the evidence is observational, pooled from other indications, or pre-dates registry practice. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.