An approval decision would also be expected to trigger a change in how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services covers the drug, broadening access for up to an estimated million people with early forms of the disease.
“It’s not that we know it’s not good for people with moderate or severe disease; it’s just that we don’t know,” said Honig, who has consulted for drug companies working on Alzheimer’s medicines. The drug is given as an IV infusion once every two weeks. Infusion centers have been preparing for a potential surge of new patients.
Montminy is waiting to see if he qualifies for the drug based on brain imaging – for which Eisai said it also expects a CMS decision on coverage soon. If he is, he won’t hesitate to take it for the chance to have more time with his wife and two sons, who he says are in their late 20s and are early in their careers.