Despite Advancement, Benefits From Alzheimer's Drugs May Be Limited, Say Researchers

  • Recently, Biogen Inc BIIB and Eisai Co ESALY announced encouraging data from the most-watched Alzheimer's therapies in the clinic.
  • Lecanemab cleared accumulations in the brain of beta-amyloid, sticky protein fragments that researchers have long suspected contribute to Alzheimer's.
  • Citing physicians and neurology researchers, Wall Street Journal reported that the drug's benefit to patients might be limited.
  • They said the reduction of cognitive decline that patients experienced was modest and might be too slight in some patients to justify potentially dangerous side effects. 
  • Related: These Stocks Are On The Radar After Biogen-Eisai's Surprising Alzheimer's Trial Win.
  • Biogen and Eisai said that about 12% of patients who took lecanemab developed swelling and bleeding in the brain.
  • "We still have the whole cliff to climb, but at least now, we're on the first ledge," Robert Howard, a professor of old-age psychiatry at University College London, said of the lecanemab results.
  • "Scientifically, we see that busting amyloid plaques might make a small difference," Dr. Howard said. "But unfortunately, it's not enough to make a significant difference in patients."
  • Lecanemab is one of at least three drugs targeting beta-amyloid in development. Roche Holding AG RHHBY said it would release Phase 3 results for its drug, gantenerumab, in Q4. Eli Lilly And Co LLY said it would release Phase 3 results for its drug, donanemab, next year.
  • Biogen and Eisai said they would release full data from lecanemab's Phase 3 trial in November.
  • Photo via Wikimedia Commons
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