(Reuters) – Eli Lilly’s new drug donanemab has effectively slowed down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by 60% in patients at the earliest stages, according to a press release by the Alzheimer’s Association. The drug’s performance for this group was twice as effective as previously reported.
Donanemab, developed by Lilly, functions as an intravenous antibody, similar to Leqembi by Eisai and Biogen, which was recently cleared for use. These drugs are designed to eliminate deposits of a protein called beta amyloid in Alzheimer’s patients’ brains.
The Alzheimer’s Association observed that donanemab’s treatment effect outpaced the placebo during the 18-month trial.
In May, Lilly announced that the study had achieved all its objectives, demonstrating that donanemab reduced cognitive decline by 29% compared to the placebo. The study involved 1,182 individuals with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia who had beta amyloid and tau protein deposits in their brains.
The findings of the comprehensive study are currently being presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam and will be published in JAMA on Monday.
The FDA recently granted standard approval to Leqembi, making it the first disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s to be approved. This approval paves the way for increased insurance coverage of the drug.
Both donanemab and Leqembi are the focus of ongoing large-scale trials to determine if they can delay Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.
By 2050, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s in the United States is projected to increase from 6 to nearly 13 million, as stated by the Alzheimer’s Association.
Reported by Deena Beasley
Edited by Bill Berkrot, Will Dunham, and Caroline Humer
Credit: The Star : News Feed
