The FDA has approved Leqembi, the first disease-modifying treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s and a precursor condition, mild cognitive impairment.
Unanswered questions abound as this new era of treatment begins for mild cognitive impairment and early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Will Leqembi’s primary benefit — a slight slowing of decline in cognition and functioning — make a significant difference to patients and family members or will it be difficult to discern? Will its effects accelerate, decelerate or flatten out over time?
These questions aren’t surprising, given that these dementia treatments are opening uncharted territory. Here’s some of what people should know:Leqembi is effective at removing amyloid plaques from people’s brains. But it doesn’t reverse cognitive decline or prevent future deterioration., Eisai, the company that makes Leqembi, said clinical trials showed a 27% slower rate of decline for people taking the drug.
In slightly more than 1 in 4 cases, there were also infusion-related side effects — chills, aches, nausea, vomiting, a spike or drop in blood pressure and more. In Los Angeles, UCLA Health has set up a multidisciplinary group of specialists, similar to a cancer tumor board, to undertake comprehensive reviews of patients who want to take Leqembi, said Keith Vossel, director of UCLA’s Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care. UCLA Health will disqualify people with evidence of more than four microbleeds on brain MRIs, those taking blood thinners and those with a history of seizures.