References

Alzheimer's Society. Lecanemab: a new drug for early stage Alzheimer's disease. 2023. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/lecanemab-new-drug-early-stage-alzheimers-disease

Biogen. “LEQEMBI®” (Lecanemab) Approved for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease in China. 2024. https://investors.biogen.com/news-releases/news-release-details/leqembir-lecanemab-approved-treatment-alzheimers-disease-china

Eli Lilly. Lilly's Donanemab Significantly Slowed Cognitive and Functional Decline in Phase 3 Study of Early Alzheimer's Disease. 2023. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-donanemab-significantly-slowed-cognitive-and-functional

Experts urge health regulators to approve ‘turning-point’ dementia drugs. 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/17/experts-urge-health-regulators-approve-dementia-drugs-donanemab-lecanemab

Alzheimer's drug donanemab: what promising trial means for treatments. 2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01537-5

Sims JR, Zimmer JA, Evans CD Donanemab in early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. JAMA.. 2023; 330:(6)512-527 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.13239

Van Dyck CH, Swansen C, Aisen P Lecanemab in Early Alzheimer's Disease. N Engl J Med.. 2023; 388:(1)9-21 https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2212948

Drug donanemab seen as turning point in dementia fight. 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66221116

New treatment hopes for Alzheimer's disease: A look at recent drug trials

02 February 2024
Volume 6 · Issue 2

Alzheimer's disease has been steadily on the rise in our ageing population and, alarmingly, those living with it have gone 20 years without new medicines (Gregory, 2023). However, recent advances in medicine have led to the first generation of possible treatments. Donanemab and lecanemab are two of the most recent medications showing good efficacy in trials. This article will explore these further.

Eli Lilly (2023) created donanemab, noting last year that 47% of participants taking the medication had no clinical progression at one year of the disease. However, the placebo group also had no progression at one year in 29% of participants. The Phase 3 trial for donanemab also met the primary endpoint and all secondary endpoints that measured cognitive and functional decline, finding that the treatment slowed clinical decline by 35%, and causing 40% less decline in the functional ability to carry out every day activities of daily living.

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