CHICAGO - An experimental Alzheimer's drug developed by Eisai and Biogen significantly slowed cognitive and functional decline in a large trial of patients in the early stages of the disease, the companies said on Tuesday.
“It’s not a huge effect, but it’s a positive effect,” said Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre in Rochester, Minnesota, adding that the results were extremely important for Alzheimer’s research.Analysts, such as Salim Syed at Mizuho Securities, have said the results would be considered a"win" if lecanemab slowed the rate of decline by around 25 per cent, and that shares of both companies could jump on the news.
Eisai, leader of the 50-50 partnership's lecanemab programme, is seeking FDA approval under the same accelerated pathway as Aduhelm, with a decision expected in early January. While the side effect showed up on imaging, many of these cases were not symptomatic, the companies said. Symptomatic brain swelling was seen in 2.8 per cent of those in the lecanemab group and none of the placebo group, they said.