• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
Podcast
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise – but there are many hurdles still to overcome

December 1, 2022
in Article
0
Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise – but there are many hurdles still to overcome
file 20221201 20

Lightspring/Shutterstock

The first drug that can slow the rate of decline in Alzheimer’s patients has been found. The experimental drug, called lecanemab, is an antibody that targets the toxic clumps of amyloid protein associated with the mind-robbing disease. While these results are cause for celebration, there are still significant questions about its safety and rollout.

The full results of the phase 3 lecanemab drug trial (the final stage of testing in humans) have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial showed that patients receiving the drug had a 27% slower disease progression than those receiving a placebo after 18 months of treatment.

Overall, this is good news. For the first time, we have a potential treatment that has a demonstrated effect on both the symptoms and underlying pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. These results are a breakthrough in the search for treatments for this devastating disease and give a strong indication that the course of the disease can be altered.

But the results paint a mixed picture for those with Alzheimer’s. On one hand, this is the first drug that has been shown to have any effect on slowing the progression of the disease. On the other hand, the apparent effects are slight and the risks are not inconsiderable.

About 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s took part in the global trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either lecanemab or placebo intravenously every two weeks. The study was “double blind”, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving the experimental drug and who was receiving the placebo until the end of the trial.

Throughout the study, the participants’ disease progression was tracked using the clinical dementia rating scale, which scores the patient on cognition and ability to live independently. The participants’ brains were also scanned for the two proteins commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid and tau.

Alzheimer’s scores in both groups worsened during the 18 months of the study, but the rate of decline was slower in those receiving the lecanemab. Also, the magnitude of the slowing, while statistically significant (not likely to be due to chance) was small – a 0.45 reduction on an 18-point scale.

Some experts are concerned that this effect may not be clinically meaningful. In a statement to the Science Media Centre, Rob Howard, professor of old age psychiatry at UCL, said that “none of the reported results, including the primary outcome, reached accepted levels of improvement to constitute a clinically meaningful treatment effect”.

The success of lecanemab was also measured by the amount of amyloid and tau protein in those on the experimental drug compared with those receiving the placebo infusion. The results showed a reduction in these proteins in those receiving lecanemab.

Indeed, the levels of brain amyloid were reduced to below the threshold needed for a positive Alzheimer’s diagnosis. However, markers of brain cell death were unaffected, indicating that amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease is just one mechanism in a complicated disease landscape.

Side-effects

About one in four participants (26.6%) in the lecanemab group experienced brain swelling or a bleed on the brain (which can be both minor or major). STAT, a medical news website, reported that a man died of a brain haemorrhage after receiving lecanemab, citing a possible interaction with his blood thinning medication.

A short while later, the journal Science reported a second death of a trial patient, also after receiving treatment for a stroke. However, the drug’s developer, Eisa, told Science: “All the available safety information indicates that lecanemab therapy is not associated with an increased risk of death overall or from any specific cause.”

Nevertheless, given the possibility that patients may be on the drug for the rest of their lives, more research is needed on safety and interactions with existing medications.

It’s also important to find out how long-lived the improvements in cognition are, and whether the drug continues to slow the rate of decline, or if the results plateau – or even decline.

It should be noted that only patients who had a sufficient level of amyloid detected in the brain or spinal fluid – which requires a PET brain scan or an invasive lumbar puncture – were eligible to take part in this phase 3 trial. In the UK, Alzheimer’s is currently diagnosed via an interview with a doctor. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says the NHS is not ready for a new era of dementia treatment.

We estimate that unless there are drastic changes in how people access specialist diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease, only 2% of people eligible for drugs like lecanemab will be able to access them.

Restructuring NHS dementia services to provide routine and timely PET scans or lumbar punctures would be a costly and lengthy process.

Based on previous results, Eisai applied to the US drug regulator (the Food and Drug Administration) for accelerated approval of their drug. A decision is expected by January 6 2023. If accelerated approval is granted by the regulator, these latest results will probably support an application for full approval.

Uncharted Brain, podcast series

Listen to The Conversation’s podcast series Uncharted Brain: Decoding Dementia to find out more about the latest research unlocking clues to the ongoing mystery of how dementia works in the brain. Find all episodes via The Anthill podcast.

The Conversation

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

ShareTweetSharePin
Previous Post

Twitter lifted its ban on COVID misinformation – research shows this is a grave risk to public health

Next Post

Living with MND: how a form of ‘acceptance therapy’ is helping me make one difficult choice at a time

Next Post
Living with MND: how a form of ‘acceptance therapy’ is helping me make one difficult choice at a time

Living with MND: how a form of 'acceptance therapy' is helping me make one difficult choice at a time

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

October 24, 2021
Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

November 29, 2021
Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

October 12, 2022

10 Things I Learned During My Body Transformation

October 12, 2021

7 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

October 12, 2021
Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

October 12, 2021
How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

December 1, 2021
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

September 28, 2022
Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

July 19, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS