LEQEMBI — a breakthrough in treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

A recently approved Alzheimer's drug brings hope for the patients and their relatives, however, there are still unsettled concerns regarding its effectiveness.

In early January, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alzheimer's drug, lecanemab, which will be sold under the name LEQEMBI. The Japanese company Eisai aims to make the drug available to patient in the coming days.

"The FDA's approval of LEQEMBI under the Accelerated Approval pathway is an important milestone in Eisai's four decades of research in Alzheimer's disease and reflects our continued commitment to alleviating the burden of Alzheimer's disease for patients and their families," said Haruo Naito, Chief Executive Officer at Eisai Co., Ltd.

The drug demonstrated significant but minor advance in clinical trials by slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage illness. Meanwhile a sub-analysis also showed that the drug turned to be much more effective in the elderly compared to the young and in men compared to women.

Patients who undergo the treatment with LEQEMBI should visit a clinic twice a month. As per rough estimate the treatment will cost at a considerable price of $26500 a year. But Haruo Naito, Chief Executive Officer at Eisai Co., Ltd., assured:

Eisai will also engage with various payers to provide access to LEQEMBI, offer a patient support program, and will do its utmost to complete submission for traditional approval as soon as possible to serve more people living with early Alzheimer's disease.

Unlike the most drugs approved by the FDA for Alzheimer’s, LEQEMBI is aimed at not just helping symptoms but slowing the progression of the disease.