The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease that may delay cognitive decline in its early stages, the newspaper reported. New York Times.
Donanemab (which will be sold under the brand name Kisunla) helps eliminate amyloid protein, which builds up in plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to Eli Lilly, the company that makes the drug. Once the protein is eliminated, patients can stop taking the drug.
Anne White, executive vice president of Eli Lilly, said the move could reduce the overall cost and hassle of treatment, as well as the risk of side effects.
The company reported that 17% of patients receiving donanemab in the 18-month clinical trial were able to stop taking the drug after six months, 47% stopped taking it within a year and 69% stopped taking it within 18 months.
A year’s course of therapy will cost 32 thousand dollars (equivalent to approximately 30 thousand euros).
The list price of Kisunla is $32,000 for a one-year treatment cycle.
The drug belongs to a new class of drugs that target the biology underlying Alzheimer’s disease by targeting amyloid, which begins to build up in the brain years before symptoms appear.
The first drug of this type to be approved in 2021 was Aduhelm, but its manufacturer Biogen stopped making it last year because there was not enough evidence that it could benefit patients.
There are currently no treatments that prevent or reverse memory loss or other cognitive problems.
Some experts believe this type of drug carries alarming risks, such as swelling and bleeding in the brain.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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