A study reveals lecanemab, a new drug is effective in slowing down cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s everything you need to know about the momentous discovery.
All about Lecanemab, the ‘miracle’ Alzheimer’s drug
Lecanemab, a new drug was found to be highly effective in reducing cognitive decline in people suffering from Alzheimer’s. However, experts are wary as improvements are comparatively smaller than the severe side effects. The study was presented at the 15th annual conference of Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) on November 29. The study revealed 17.3 percent of patients experienced brain bleeds. However, only nine percent of subjects taking the placebo experienced the side effects.
Alzheimer’s Research UK called the findings “momentous”. The revolutionary discovery can also pave the way for new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. However, the miraculous drug comes with several side effects. The disease is complex and has several underlying causes tied to aging. Hence, agencies such as the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) are pressing on the need for a combination drug approach.
More on the ongoing study
Esai and Biogen stated that lecanemab is designed as an antibody for removing sticky deposits of amyloid beta. Amyloid beta is a protein found in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s. The drug helped in reducing the rate of cognitive decline by 27 percent compared to a placebo. “Amyloid-clearing and cognitive decline-slowing drug lecanemab, which is poised for FDA approval early next year, will be a positive step in the treatment of Alzheimer’s,” stated the study.
“Today’s results show that lecanemab slows cognitive decline, which is welcome news for the millions of patients and families living with Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Howard Fillit. Dr. Fillit is the Chief Science Officer and co-founder of ADDF. “But this is only a start to stopping Alzheimer’s in its tracks. We also have a lot of ground to cover to get from the 27 percent slowing lecanemab offers to our goal of slowing cognitive decline by 100 percent. Additionally, unique drug combinations matched to each patient’s underlying pathologies are the answer. And our best hope is to give patients long-lasting relief from this insidious and progressive disease,” he added.