Published on
Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Dr Christophe de Jaeger (Longevity and geriatrics)
A new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has just been approved by the FDA. This is lecanemab, intended for patients with mild cognitive impairment. The point of view of Dr Christophe de Jaeger, physiologist and member of the Doctissimo expert committee.
Soon to be marketed under the name Leqembi, lecanemab has just been approved on January 6 by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responsible for authorizing new drugs on the American market. “Leqembi is the second in a new class of drugs approved for Alzheimer’s disease that target the basic pathophysiology of the disease. These drugs represent an important step forward in the ongoing fight to effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease.” writes the FDA in its press release.
This molecule, intended to fight against Alzheimer’s disease, may be prescribed to patients with mild cognitive impairment, intravenously and administered every two weeks.
Lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody
Lecanemab belongs to the family of monoclonal antibodies and is currently manufactured by two pharmaceutical companies: Eisai in Tokyo, Japan and Biogen in Cambridge, USA. If the FDA has therefore just approved its marketing for the United States, at a price varying between 8,500 and 20,600 dollars per year, the drug is not available in Europe.
Nevertheless, the two laboratories intend to offer their molecule there, and have submitted a European marketing application. For now, we do not know when the decision will be taken by the European Medicines Agency.
A treatment with some serious side effects
According to a study published in the journal New England Journal of Medicine in November 2022 – which aimed to evaluate the molecule – lecanemab had slowed down cognitive decline by 27% in patients affected by the disease early on.
But the drug also has serious side effects, such as bleeding in the brain, called “amyloid-related imaging abnormalities or ARIA”, in response to intravenous infusions. One death, possibly attributable to the molecule, even occurred during the therapeutic trial.
“In people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, lecanemab reduced levels of amyloid in the brain and was associated with less decline in clinical measures of cognition and function than placebo at 18 months , but has been associated with adverse events” acknowledge the authors of the study. Effects that will require close monitoring, by regular brain MRIs, of the patients who will benefit from them.
The opinion of Dr Christophe de Jaeger, physiologist and member of the Doctissimo expert committee
“We must rejoice at the arrival of a new molecule on the market, but it is not a miraculous treatment either.” says the doctor first. “CAs the various studies have shown, the treatment does not work 100% but slows down certain evolutions of the disease in certain patients.“For Dr. de Jaeger, it is important to emphasize early detection of the disease.”Even today, some patients arrive after letting the disease evolve for several years. While it is essential to benefit from early detection, in this type of pathologies. So if you have regular memory problems, which are not explained by a particular reason, which happen more and more often and that those around you notice it, you should consult a doctor specializing in memory.” concludes the doctor.