▁is ▁subject ing ▁the ▁drug ▁to ▁the ▁F DA ▁appro val ▁process , ▁had ▁all ▁studies ▁susp ended ▁until ▁further ▁notice ▁in ▁fall ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁due ▁to ▁rare , ▁but ▁serious ▁g astro int est inal ▁problems ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁patients ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁drug ▁trial , ▁potentially ▁being ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁taking ▁the ▁drug . ▁The ▁tri als ▁were ▁scheduled ▁to ▁be ▁run ▁until ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁but ▁as ▁of ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁they ▁appear ▁to ▁still ▁be ▁on ▁hold . ▁There ▁is ▁spec ulation ▁by ▁FOR UM ▁Ph arma ce ut ical s ▁that ▁this ▁may ▁be ▁due ▁to ▁either ▁the ▁increased ▁daily ▁do se ▁given ▁in ▁the ▁phase ▁III ▁trial ▁compared ▁to ▁earlier ▁tri als ▁that ▁showed ▁promise . ▁In ▁previous ▁tri als , ▁the ▁highest ▁do se ▁given ▁was ▁ 2 ▁m g / day , ▁with ▁the ▁most ▁positive ▁of ▁effects ▁having ▁been ▁realized ▁in ▁patients ▁taking ▁the ▁largest ▁do se ▁( 2 ▁m g / day ). ▁In ▁the ▁phase ▁III ▁trial , ▁all ▁patients ▁were ▁treated ▁with ▁ 3 ▁m g / day ▁dos es ▁of ▁the ▁drug . ▁FOR UM ▁also ▁spec ul ates ▁that ▁the ▁increase ▁of ▁g astro int est inal ▁problems ▁occurr ing ▁in ▁the ▁phase ▁III ▁trial ▁could ▁be ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁increased ▁dem ographic ▁risk ▁that ▁elder ly ▁( the ▁average ▁age ▁in ▁the ▁study ▁was ▁ 7 5 ) ▁and ▁those ▁with ▁Al z heimer '