A crucial drug believed to prevent Alzheimer’s produced good results from a brand new study that offers hope to patients who are suffering from the condition. Eisai and Biogen have announced the drug they developed, lecanemab, slowed the decline of those with initial signs of Alzheimer’s due to its ability to reduce the accumulation of amyloid beta within the brains of participants who participated in the study.
Amyloid beta is classified by Biogen as “sticky plaques within the brain that are at the heart of a heated debate over what causes Alzheimer’s.” It slowed the decline in cognitive function by 27 percent in those who took the medication as opposed to a placebo the study found.
“Today’s announcement provides families and patients with confidence that lecanemab when it is approved could slow the development of Alzheimer’s disease and have a significant clinical impact on cognition and performance,” said Michel Vounatsos the chief executive officer of Biogen.
“Importantly this study demonstrates that the elimination of amyloid beta from the brain is linked to an improvement in disease severity for patients in the initial stage that are suffering from the condition.” This study was conducted by Eisai.