Biotech
Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 4:07 pm EDT
Key Points
- Leqembi’s Efficacy and Long-term Use: The Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi significantly slows disease progression over three years, underscoring the necessity for sustained long-term treatment to maintain cognitive function and prevent worsening symptoms.
- Side Effects and Safety Profile: The rate of adverse effects like brain swelling and bleeding associated with Leqembi decreases after six months, alleviating some safety concerns, particularly highlighted by recent European regulatory decisions.
- Study Findings and Treatment Implications: Extended studies show that Leqembi offers continuous benefits, especially when started early. Patients who discontinued the drug experienced a reversion to the cognitive decline rates of those on placebo, indicating that stopping treatment leads to disease progression despite amyloid plaque clearance.
The Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, developed by Eisai in collaboration with Biogen, demonstrated a significant slowing of disease progression in patients over a three-year period, according to new data. This extended study highlights the necessity for long-term treatment, as stopping the drug leads to worsening symptoms. Leqembi, which targets amyloid plaques in the brain—a key factor in Alzheimer’s—showed that side effects such as brain swelling and bleeding decreased after six months of treatment. These findings, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, suggest that continuous treatment is crucial for maintaining cognitive function. The data indicates that patients benefit more if treatment begins early, with those who started Leqembi early showing less cognitive decline than those who started later or received a placebo initially. The study also revealed that some patients could potentially switch to a maintenance dose after 18 to 24 months, and Eisai is seeking regulatory approval for a more convenient, once-monthly infusion option. The trial outcomes, particularly from the Clarity AD phase three trial, emphasized that early intervention with Leqembi significantly mitigates the natural progression of Alzheimer’s. Additionally, a phase two trial, Study 201, suggested that the positive effects of Leqembi persist even after stopping treatment, although disease progression resumes if treatment is not maintained. The study underscores the drug’s potential as a long-term therapy, particularly beneficial for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, as evidenced by the stability of symptoms in patients with low levels of tau protein. Leqembi’s development marks a significant step in Alzheimer’s treatment, offering hope for millions as the condition remains a leading cause of death among adults over 65, with prevalence expected to double by 2050.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/30/eisai-biogen-alzheimers-drug-leqembi-shows-benefits-over-three-years.html
