Drug slows cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, study reveals

[Northerner]

Researchers have hailed the dawn of a new era of Alzheimer’s therapies after a clinical trial confirmed that a drug slows cognitive decline in patients with early stages of the disease.

The result comes after decades of failure in the field and encouraged experts to say Alzheimer’s – which affects 30 million people worldwide – could be treatable.

“This is the first drug that provides a real treatment option for Alzheimer patients,” said Bart De Strooper, director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London.

“While the clinical benefits appear somewhat limited, it can be expected that they will become more apparent over time.”

The drug, lecanemab, is an antibody therapy that removes clumps of protein called beta amyloid which builds up in the brain.

Drug slows cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, study reveals

Antibody therapy lecanemab removes clumps of protein called beta amyloid that builds up in brain

www.theguardian.com

Early days 🙂

 

[nonethewiser]

Not before time, heartbreaking watching Alzheimers destroy lives.

 

[AndBreathe]

Some of the side effects of Lecanemab looks horrendous, but hopefully it can be the beginning of a way to better manage cognitive decline. Alzheimers is a very cruel condition for the sufferer and those around them.

 

[Eddy Edson]

The paper: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2212948

Slide summarising the promise:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597755968544452608

Modestly lower decline in functioning versus placebo, but the main reason for excitement is the increasing improvement over time => apparently the first real hint that the "amyloid hypothesis" might be clinically real & an opening for future work.

 

[mikeyB]

This drug will not work if the build up of beta amyloid is not the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but simply a consequence of the disease.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

This drug will not work if the build up of beta amyloid is not the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but simply a consequence of the disease.

Does the drug know that though?
It seems to be effective.

 

[42istheanswer]

It also will not help anyone already diagnosed, as it doesn't improve function but rather delays its decline. So by the time it is potentially approved anyone already diagnosed is likely to have too advanced disease to benefit.

 

[nonethewiser]

It also will not help anyone already diagnosed, as it doesn't improve function but rather delays its decline. So by the time it is potentially approved anyone already diagnosed is likely to have too advanced disease to benefit.

Regardless its positive step in right direction.

 

[42istheanswer]

Regardless its positive step in right direction.

I never said otherwise. But it impacts on how I might share the information, and who with.