Posted on 07/06/2023 3:34:21 PM PDT by thegagline
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday fully approved the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, amid concerns about its safety, cost and accessibility.
The move marks the first time that a drug meant to slow the progression of the disease has been granted full regulatory approval. Other approved drugs only target its symptoms.
"I don't think we can understate the significance of this moment," said Donna Wilcock, the assistant dean of biomedicine at the University of Kentucky.
About 6.7 million adults ages 65 and older in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Leqembi, from Japanese drugmaker Eisai and U.S.-based drugmaker Biogen, targets a type of protein in the brain called beta-amyloid, long thought by scientists to be one of the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a phase 3 clinical trial of 1,795 patients with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage disease, progression of the illness was slowed by 27% over an 18-month period.
"While patients still do decline on the drug, the decline is slowed," Wilcock said.
Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said in an email that Leqembi is not a cure, nor does it stop the disease.
"It’s a first step for hopefully more therapeutics in the future," he said.
The Alzheimer's Association, which has vocally advocated for the drug's approval, praised the decision.
The treatment could "give people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s more time to maintain their independence and do the things they love," Joanne Pike, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
I’ve been taking choline for decades. During the past several years, I’ve switched to alpha-GPC form of choline. Hopefully, it wards off Alzheimar’s long enough that I die of something less tragic.
The drug is nicht so gut!! Expensive, and does not stop or cure the disease.
biden has brain damage due to his strokes and brain operations, and may have a form of vascular dementia. I doubt if even a drug that stops the course of Alzheimer’s would help him!
I hope this drug brings some help to the public. Alzheimer’s is a devastation to the person who gets it and the family and friends who love that person.
It’s insidious.
I looked at the ingredients of Neureva and prevagen. Neuriva ingredients are coffee berries and vitamins. Prevagen is vit D3 and Apoaequorin, a jellyfish protein. Neither one claims to treat dementia, despite their commercials. Eat more jellyfish?
Drink more coffee.
>I doubt if even a drug that stops the course of Alzheimer’s would help him!
Only thing that would help him and us is a hangin’
Treatment costs estimated at 26,500 dollars per year. About the cost of three months in a nursing home. If it can delay NH admission for 6 months or so, it would be very cost effective.
Alzheimer’s is connected to a corrupted form of beta-amyloid. I’d like to see them experiment with injecting good beta-amyloid. Good beta-amyloid injections have been shown to cure MS in mice. They won’t test it in humans (no profit).
Can’t hurt.
Big Pharma is more intere$ted in concocting “maintenance” meds than meds which would produce cures.
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