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A new drug has been found to slow the course of Alzheimer’s disease by reducing the speed at which patients’ memory and thinking declines.
Alzheimer’s UK has described the arrival of the treatment as a “historic moment for dementia research”, but warn that there are multiple barriers ahead that must be cleared before the drug is made available to patients.
Lecanemab was found to slow the decline in people’s memory and thinking by up to 27% over 18 months
Lecanemab works by removing a protein called amyloid from the brain, something that many developmental Alzheimer’s drugs are designed to do, but this is the first been shown to slow down patients’ decline in memory and thinking, and improve day-to-day activities.
The results of the phase 3 clinical trial are published by Eisai, who were working alongside Biogen to develop the drug.
The trial involved 1,795 people with either mild Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s, who received an intravenous infusion of either lecanemab or a placebo every two weeks.
The participants were followed up at regular intervals with brain scans and were tested on their memory, orientation, judgement and problem solving.
Lecanemab was found to slow the decline in people’s memory and thinking by up to 27% over 18 months, compared with a placebo. However, the effects could be seen after just six months.
The long-term effects of lecanemab, as well as its efficacy on patients with more advanced forms of Alzheimer’s, are not known.
However, early results indicate that some patients may experience significant side effects, such as ARIA, which results in swelling and/or bleeding in the brain. In the trial, 21.3% of participants experienced this. However, it is important to note that 9% of those taking the placebo drug also experienced ARIA.
Drug manufacturer will now apply for regulatory approval
Eisai and Biogen are now in the process of applying for regulatory approval for the drug to be given in the US, Europe and Japan.
But first, the results of the study will go under peer review, with more information about the drug expected to be revealed at a large US conference later this year.