An experimental drug seems to slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists reported at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease meeting in San Francisco that the drug lecanemab reduced the rate of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's disease.
The study was published in two different journals.
The people who received lecanemab scored about half a point better on a mental functioning scale than the people who didn't.
Dr. Christopher van Dyck gave an overview of the study at the meeting and said the results were "real and robust."
The National Institute on Aging was not involved in the study.
It's not likely that these differences will be noticed by individual patients in their daily lives.
His views are his own, and he is not speaking for the National Institute of Health, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
One in five people who got lecanemab had an adverse event such as swelling or bleeding in the brain. People reported headaches and other symptoms.
Two deaths have been linked to the treatment.
Most side effects are moderate, according to Dr. Marwan Sabbagh of the Barrow Neurological Institute. The number of brain scans that showed abnormality was within expectations.
The risks of lecanemab may outweigh its benefits for some patients.
Lecanemab is being developed by two companies.
After many years of frustration and failure for companies trying to develop drugs to clear amyloid from the brain, lecanemab appears to have succeeded.
Aduhelm is the only amyloid drug approved by the FDA.
After an FDA advisory committee voted against approval, the drug was approved in 2021.
Medicare only covers Aduhelm for patients in a clinical trial, which has slowed sales.
Alzheimer's patients and their families are anticipating lecanemab despite its limitations.
Michael Zuendel has taken Aduhelm since he was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer's. I don't have time to wait for the best study.
Zuendel is optimistic that the FDA will approve the drug.
The FDA is expected to make a decision in January.
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