The U.S. Veterans Health Administration will pay for some beneficiaries to get a new Alzheimer’s disease drug from Eisai Co. and Biogen Inc., positive news for a treatment that Eisai expects to bring in billions of dollar in sales in the next few years.
The VA added Leqembi, which received accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration in January, to its list of nonformulary drugs. Patients who want to take the medication would have to request it, receive prior approval and meet stringent inclusion criteria, according to the VA website.
The decision moves toward broader coverage of the controversial drug category. Tokyo-based Eisai praised the agency in a statement, saying the VA’s decision “shows its continued commitment to veterans living” with Alzheimer’s disease. The agency oversees care of more than 9 million veterans of the U.S. military.
