Drugmaker Eli Lilly announced on Wednesday that one of its experimental Alzheimer’s medications has shown promising results in patients’ ability to think clearly and perform daily tasks.
The results from Eli Lilly came in its large clinical trial, and based on the results it found in patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, the company plans to file for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration by the end of June.
Lilly shared that the drug, donanemab, works by removing plaque buildup in the brain, known as amyloid, a main contributor in Alzheimer’s disease.
The trial was conducted for 18 months and included more than 1,700 patients, but not everything was spotless with the medication as side effects were reported, Lily shared.
According to the drug manufacturer, three people died in the trial among those receiving the medication. Two of the three deaths were found to be caused by adverse reactions like brain swelling or microhemorrhages.
Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, the chief scientific and medical officer for Lilly, shared with CNN that with every medication, “there are potential risks and potential benefits,” and it is no different with donanemab.
However, Skovronsky noted that 47% of the participants taking the drug showed no decline in a key measure of cognition over the course of the trial, while 29% taking the placebo showed the same.
The doctor says the results are monumental as it’s “the kind of efficacy that’s never been seen before in Alzheimer’s disease.”
Drugmakers have been working to find an answer for Alzheimer’s for decades, with a new round of medications showing promise, including one that received accelerated FDA approval in January, Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi.
Skovronsky touched on the new medications for the disease that affects more than 6 million Americans. The doctor has been working in the field for 25 years and says the new round of drugs are different from others thanks to “the amount of amyloid they can clear and how quickly they can clear it.”
While donanemab was declined for accelerated approval from the FDA in January, Skovronsky says the data now is too positive to be declined again and delays could cost people their lives.
“Every day that goes by, there are some patients who pass through this early stage of Alzheimer’s disease and become more advanced, and they won’t benefit from treatment,” he said in an interview with CNBC. “That’s a very pressing sense of urgency.”
However, the price remains an important factor for many when it comes to the medication, as Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi has been priced at $26,500 a year.
When it comes to a potential price for Lilly’s new drug, Skovronsky declined to comment as the drug is not yet approved.
Related
Related
