As the societal and economic burdens of Alzheimer's disease (AD) continue to 
mount, so does the need for therapies that slow the progression of the illness. 
Beta amyloid has long been recognized as the pathologic hallmark of AD, and the 
past decade has seen significant progress in the development of various 
immunotherapeutic approaches targeting beta amyloid. This paper reviews active 
and passive approaches aimed at beta amyloid, with a focus on clinical trial 
data.