According to drugmakers Eisai and Biogen, a Phase 3 clinical study on a potential new Alzheimer's disease drug shows promise. The study findings show that the drug, lecanemab, reduced clinical decline of people with Alzheimer's disease by 27% compared with a placebo after 18 months of treatment.
"This is very good news for Alzheimer's disease patients and their families," says Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist and director of Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. "While this is not a cure for the disease, it represents a step in the right direction by slowing cognitive decline."
A monoclonal antibody, lecanemab shows promise in removing amyloid plaques from the brain. Plaques are one of the defining features of Alzheimer's disease.
