饾憞鈩庰潙 饾憥饾憻饾憽饾憱饾憪饾憴饾憭 饾憦饾憭饾憴饾憸饾懁 饾懁饾憥饾憼 饾憮饾憱饾憻饾憼饾憽 饾憹饾憿饾憦饾憴饾憱饾憼鈩庰潙掟潙 饾憦饾懄 饾憪饾憸饾憿饾憻饾憽饾憭饾憼饾懄 饾憸饾憮 饾憽鈩庰潙 饾憻饾憭饾憹饾憸饾憻饾憽饾憱饾憶饾憯 饾憸饾憮 饾憜饾憥饾憻饾憥鈩 饾惪饾憥饾憫饾憫.
First medicine ever to change the disease in the brain can extend quality of life, says UK鈥檚 Dr. Greg Jicha
A key antibody treatment in the fight against Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, which, just got a full green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The , which came out Thursday afternoon, means that many Kentuckians with mild cognitive impairment may enjoy an extension of their quality of life.
Dr. Greg Jicha, the director of clinical trials at UK鈥檚 , told reporters Friday that while the approval is exciting, this is not a cure for Alzheimer鈥檚.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not there yet,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut this is the first medicine ever that actually changes the disease in the brain, removes a component of the disease and can extend quality of life for patients who are developing and who are in the early stages of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.鈥
What is Lecanemab?
(brand name ) is an antibody that targets 鈥 and in some cases, may remove 鈥 amyloid plaques from the brain, slowing cognitive decline. Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and its U.S. partner Biogen developed the drug.
Amyloid plaques are materials in the brain outside of nerve cells. In an Alzheimer鈥檚 brain they can keep cells from properly functioning.
The treatment does come with the FDA鈥檚 strongest because of a risk of potentially dangerous brain swelling.
鈥淚f we remove the amyloid too rapidly,鈥 said Jicha, 鈥渋t can cause swelling in the brain or bleeding into the brain. We call these amyloid-related imaging abnormalities.鈥
Patients with mild Alzheimer鈥檚 or mild cognitive impairment may get six months back from the 18-month treatment, UK said.
The FDA granted in January under an accelerated approval pathway.
The full approval 鈥渋s the first verification that a drug targeting the underlying disease process of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease,鈥 Teresa Buracchio, acting director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA鈥檚 Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
It 鈥渉as shown clinical benefit in this devastating disease,鈥 Buracchio said, and 鈥渋t is a safe and effective treatment.鈥
The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer鈥檚 is characterized by memory loss and affects millions nationwide. In 2021, from it, according to the CDC.
Morehead couple Jim and Sharon Jackson, who the Lantern featured in , celebrated the approval.
Jim is a study participant who鈥檚 been receiving Lecanemab through a clinical trial at UK. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer鈥檚 in 2020.
鈥淚 felt that it was really a good opportunity to be part of something that can improve life for many, many people,鈥 said Jim, a retired pediatrician.
Jim didn鈥檛 suffer any notable side effects from the treatment, wife Sharon said Friday.
鈥淛im had a little bit of memory issues鈥 at the start of his diagnosis, Sharon said. 鈥淎nd I can pleasantly say that it has not progressed very much.鈥
鈥淭his medication, from what I had understood about Alzheimer鈥檚, seems to be holding him pretty steady,鈥 she said.
Who is eligible for this treatment?
Not everyone is eligible for the treatment, which involves an hour-long IV every two weeks.
鈥淭his medicine is only for those with mild memory problems, what we call mild cognitive impairment,鈥 Jicha said. 鈥淥nce the disease progresses to a more moderate or severe stage, we no longer understand if there could be benefit or not.鈥
People at risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 are also not eligible. Trials still need to determine the benefit of treating them with this antibody.
Those who are experiencing the early stages of memory problems can talk to their doctor about Lecanemab, Jicha said. But once the patient enters the moderate stages of the disease, it鈥檚 no longer an appropriate treatment route.
Will my insurance cover Lecanemab?
Medicare is expected to cover Lecaneman, Jicha said.
鈥淭ypically, if Medicare covers it, Medicaid covers it, and almost every third party insurance will cover it,鈥 he said.
Folks may still have to cover a co-pay, though.
鈥淚 really think it behooves all of us to ensure that this medicine is accessible to everybody,鈥 Jicha said. 鈥淣o matter what their socioeconomic status, no matter what their geographical limitations are. Everyone who has early Alzheimer鈥檚 disease deserves the opportunity as long as the medicine is going to be safe for them.鈥