U-M Well being neurologists obtainable to debate Alzheimer’s drug FDA approval
EXPERTS ADVISORY
ANN ARBOR—The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval for lecanemab, an Alzheimer’s illness drug for which research confirmed the promising organic impact of elimination of the mind’s amyloid buildup that happens within the illness.
College of Michigan Well being has an skilled obtainable to speak in regards to the accelerated approval and what it may imply for the way forward for affected person look after Alzheimer’s.
Judith Heidebrink, neurologist and scientific core co-lead of the Michigan Alzheimer’s Illness Middle
“Whereas lecanemab will not be a remedy for Alzheimer’s illness, it may assist somebody with delicate Alzheimer’s signs preserve their independence for an extended time frame,” she mentioned. “There are unwanted side effects, and, in some instances, the chance of unwanted side effects will outweigh the potential profit. So, as with all drug therapies, the dangers and advantages have to be thought-about fastidiously for every particular person affected person. Lecanemab’s potential unwanted side effects embody mind swelling and/or bleeding, so anybody handled with it would want shut monitoring, together with MRI scans to search for unwanted side effects.
“We have no idea if lecanemab will help somebody with extra superior Alzheimer’s signs as a result of the research have targeted on early signs. Nevertheless, there are causes to consider {that a} profit is unlikely with extra superior illness. May lecanemab stop signs of Alzheimer’s illness if given to somebody in danger? We don’t know but, however we’re excited to be taking part in a research that may assist reply that query, the AHEAD 3-45 research.”
Henry Paulson, neurologist and director of the Michigan Alzheimer’s Illness Middle
“Alzheimer’s illness is a posh dysfunction, with many components contributing to its progressive course, one in every of them being amyloid,” he mentioned. “The slowing of illness signs by lecanemab argues that focusing on amyloid is a viable remedy technique. Whereas lecanemab doesn’t characterize a remedy, it offers me hope that we at the moment are reaching the period of disease-modifying therapies for dementia.”
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