A drug called Lecanemab has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under an accelerated process for sale in the U.S. despite conflicting opinions about how it works. Some experts believe that this will lead to a breakthrough in the treatment of this disease, others are concerned about serious side effects.
Lekanemab (trade name Leqembi) was developed by a Japanese-American consortium of Eisei and Biogen. Its action is based on a decrease in the amount of proteins (forms of beta-amyloids) responsible for cognitive disorders that occur in Alzheimer’s disease. This is possible only at a very early stage of the disease, before the formation of deposits characteristic of this disease, forming the so-called amyloid plaques. They occupy subsequent areas of the brain and prevent the patient from functioning normally.
The first such impressive result in the treatment of the disease
In clinical trials, lecanemab was tested in the early stages of the disease, in people who were just beginning to show memory problems. The therapy was applied for 18 months. It has been shown to slow the rate of cognitive decline by 27%. compared with the results in the placebo group. Scientists note that this is the first such impressive result in the treatment of the disease.
However, this drug will not cure Alzheimer’s disease.
Skeptics cool their emotions. Although the drug effectively inhibits the development of the disease, it does not cure it. However, patients will be able to stay longer in the stage where only mild cognitive impairment is present. Experts point out that only patients with mild dementia will be able to use it.
Side effects of Lecanemab
Patients testing the drug experienced serious side effects. As much as 6.9 percent. study participants who received lecanemab by intravenous infusion had to stop therapy. The most common side effects of taking the drug were cerebral edema and cerebral hemorrhage, which were life-threatening. Their incidence was higher in people with the APOE4 gene, which may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Taking blood thinners is also a contraindication to therapy.
Other allegations against the drug
Experts note that a few years ago, a drug for Alzheimer’s called Aduhelm appeared on the market, with a similar effect, produced by the same manufacturer. It was also supposed to remove beta-amyloid deposits from the brain of a sick person. The problem is that these are not the only proteins responsible for the formation of cognitive disorders. Such a role is also assigned, for example, to tau proteins.
Source: Wprost
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