Leqembi's Long-Term Benefits in Alzheimer's Disease
New data presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference suggests that the benefits of Eisai and Biogen's Alzheimer's drug Leqembi may increase with continued use. The drug, which was approved last year, has been shown to slow cognitive decline by 27% after 18 months of treatment.
A new study, which followed patients who continued on Leqembi for three years, found that the drug slowed cognitive decline by 31% compared to what would be expected in similar patients who did not receive treatment. Importantly, no new safety issues were identified over the three-year period.
These findings suggest that Leqembi's benefits may be sustained with long-term use. This is in contrast to Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's drug Kisunla, which exclusively targets amyloid plaques and can be discontinued once the brain plaque is gone.
Leqembi works by targeting both amyloid plaques and protofibrils, toxic building blocks that can injure brain cells. This dual action may explain why Leqembi's benefits appear to increase with continued use.
Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal duration of treatment with Leqembi. However, these early results are encouraging and suggest that Leqembi may offer a valuable new treatment option for patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.