Drug that slows Alzheimer's
The drug lecanemab, sold under the brand name Leqembi, was approved by the U. S. FDA in 2023 for use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Though it is possible to use it to manage symptoms and slow down disease progression, it is not without side effects such as headaches, dizziness, muscle aches, blurred vision, and serious conditions like amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which involves brain swelling or bleeding.
A phase 3 trial called Clarity AD, published in November 2022, evaluated lecanemab in patients with early Alzheimer's. It found that very few patients0. 8% experienced ARIA-E (edema/effusion) and 0. 7% ARIA-H (hemorrhage/hemosiderin deposition). Another recent study confirmed these findings, stating that severe adverse events like ARIA were rare but manageable when lecanemab was used in real-world settings for patients with very mild Alzheimer's disease.
The new study included 234 patients with a mean age of 74 years who were treated with lecanemab at the Washington University Memory Diagnostic Center. Lecanemab is a disease-specific drug made for the treatment of patients. In a major clinical trial, patients treated with lecanemab for 18 months had a 25-30% lower decline in memory and thinking compared with unmedicated patients. But observe that the drug did not completely stop memory loss but significantly slowed it. Imaging scans also showed that lecanemab lowered and even eliminated amyloid plaques from the brain. The study found that 1. 8% of the patients with the early stage of Alzheimer's experienced symptoms of ARIA and 27% in those with mild Alzheimer's. Most of the ARIA symptoms in the 11 subjects who experienced them resolved within a few months, and no deaths were reported. This experience is in agreement with findings from the Clarity AD trial and suggests that lecanemab may be safely administered to real-world clinical populations.
Researchers intend to monitor patients more closely and understand more about side effects and memory loss impacts of these medications.
There are larger trials planned to obtain even further information. John Dickson, a neurologist, explained that while ARIA with lecanemab therapy can occur, it has been manageable in his facility. He emphasized a requirement of further studies with large patient population and long observation time to completely analyze ARIA risks because risk of ARIA will be maximal in the initial period of six months of treatment. Manisha Parulekar, another clinician, explained that although lecanemab is promising for Alzheimer's patients, the threat of significant side effects makes it challenging for doctors to decide. She noted that careful patient selection, continuous monitoring, and clear communication on the risks and benefits are paramount.
Reference
by Corrie Pelc, Fact checked by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D. Drug that slows Alzheimer's is safe and effective, real-world data shows. Medicalnewstoday.com Available at- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lecanemab-drug-slows-alzheimers-safe-effective-side-effects-real-world-data
(Assessed: 19th May 2025)
