A groundbreaking study has demonstrated that two drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, can significantly help patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease maintain their independence for an additional 10 to 13 months. This could represent a critical step forward in managing a condition that currently has no cure and for which most treatments only address symptoms.
Study Results and Impact on Alzheimer’s Patients
Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder, affects memory, speech, decision-making, and basic daily tasks. As the disease progresses, individuals often require increasing amounts of assistance with daily activities. The newly published findings, shared in the peer-reviewed journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, reveal that lecanemab and donanemab can delay the need for such assistance in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
According to researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, patients who received lecanemab could remain independent for up to 39 months, compared to just 29 months for those who did not undergo treatment. The study focused on patients with very mild symptoms of the disease, offering promising news for those in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s.
How the Drugs Work
Both lecanemab and donanemab target and remove amyloid plaques in the brain—one of the hallmark features of Alzheimer’s disease. These plaques, which are clumps of protein, disrupt communication between brain cells and contribute to cognitive decline.
Lecanemab, an intravenous antibody infusion therapy, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2023 for the early treatment of Alzheimer’s. While it is not a cure, the drug has been shown to slow the progression of the disease by addressing the underlying biology of Alzheimer’s and altering its course. Lecanemab is currently available in the U.S., and Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai is working on bringing it to India.
Donanemab, developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is a monoclonal antibody that also targets amyloid plaques. It works by training the body’s immune system to recognize and remove these plaques. Like lecanemab, donanemab is administered intravenously, typically every four weeks, and has demonstrated similar efficacy in slowing disease progression. Eli Lilly plans to introduce donanemab to the Indian market in 2025.
A Step Toward Better Alzheimer’s Care
Although neither drug offers a cure, the ability to delay the debilitating symptoms of Alzheimer’s for several months provides a significant quality-of-life benefit for patients and their families. As Alzheimer’s disease continues to be one of the fastest-growing neurological conditions worldwide, the approval and availability of treatments like lecanemab and donanemab represent important milestones in the fight against this devastating disease.
Both drugs are part of a new generation of therapies targeting the root causes of Alzheimer’s, providing a more targeted approach than traditional treatments that only address symptoms.
Related Topics
