Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurological disease that slowly robs a person of their memory and personality and interferes with relationships. However, new drugs may offer rays of hope. AD is believed to develop when there are high amounts of a toxic protein in the brain called beta amyloid that produce plaques that affect cognition. According to Reuters, two drugs are the first to offer possible hope of slowing down the disease, which affects millions of people worldwide. Lequembi, from biotech firms Eisai and Biogen, as well as an experimental treatment developed by Eli Lily called donanemab, are showing signs of promise. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, a United Kingdom-based organization, donanemab slowed how fast memory and thinking worsened by more than 20 percent from trial results. The trial also showed a 40 percent slow-down in decline of everyday activities. Lequembi (drug name lecanemab) has been shown to slow down the progression of AD by 27 percent and slow the decline in quality of life by up to 56 percent. Lequembi was fully approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for early AD in July 2023. A decision among UK drug regulators is expected in 2024. The National Institute on Aging is currently supporting 462 active clinical trials on AD and related dementias across many avenues of study. Continued research into AD and devotion to finding feasible treatments can help extend quality of life for many people.
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