2023-07-18 13:31:00
Written by Amal Allam, Tuesday, July 18, 2023 04:31 PM
Scientists hail Eli Lilly’s drug that slows early-stage disease by up to 60% as a ‘defining moment’ in dementia research Second treatment after lecanemab to offer hope to patients with the disease could be available to millions of Americans in just 18 months , according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”.
The drug can slow early-onset Alzheimer’s disease by up to 60%, in a breakthrough that has been hailed as a “turning point” in the fight against the disease.
The results of the donanimab drug trials found that it significantly delayed the worsening of symptoms in people with this type of dementia. It is the second treatment after likanimab that offers hope to patients, while experts have praised the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which we may one day see similar to other chronic diseases such as asthma or diabetes.
It also ends the decades-old debate over whether the buildup of sticky plaques, or amyloid, is at least partially responsible for the degenerative disease, the scientists said. Donanemab is given to Alzheimer’s patients through an intravenous infusion once a month. A monoclonal antibody — a copy of Man-made proteins produced by the body to fight off harmful substances – to the brain. Once inside the drug, donanimb binds to toxic build-ups of amyloid plaque — a hallmark of memory-stealing disease. This prompts immune cells, known as microglia, to clear them away.
Researchers have revealed that dunanimab slows the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s disease by 35% by removing toxic plaques in the brain.
Eli Lilly and Company disclosed the results of the full trial at the Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference in Amsterdam recently. It has already sought approval from US regulators, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The US drugmaker said it expects to apply to UK regulators within 6 months, meaning patients could start treatment with the drug in as little as 18 months.
It’s a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, and science proves it’s possible to slow the disease, said Dr. Richard Oakley, co-director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer’s Association.
Treatments like dunanimab are the first steps toward a future where Alzheimer’s disease can be seen as a chronic condition like diabetes or asthma – people may have to live with it, but they can have treatments that allow them to effectively manage their symptoms to lead fulfilling lives.
The newspaper pointed out that the effectiveness of dunanimab in halting mental decline was confirmed for more than a year in about half of the patients. Those in the very early stage of the disease, known as mild cognitive impairment, had the greatest benefit, with a 60% slower decline compared to placebo.
Among the patients with Alzheimer’s disease Those with brain scans showed low or moderate levels of a protein called tau. The drug was found to slow clinical deterioration by 35 percent. Tau levels are a marker of how advanced the disease is. When the results were combined to include people with higher levels of this protein, they were There is a 22% slowdown in disease progression.
Some patients were withdrawn from the drugs after as little as six months, the researchers said, because scans showed the amyloid in their brains had completely disappeared. They said treatment could be stopped after that – with early indications that plaques that had been in the making for decades had been formed. It will take several years to come back.
The newspaper said, that the drug works by using the immune system to remove amyloid – a buildup of toxic deposits in the brain that prevent brain cells from communicating, and therefore, it is only effective for people with Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages and not other forms of the disease, such as vascular dementia or frontal dementia. temporal.
Dr Maria Carrillo, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “With this whole picture, there is further compelling scientific evidence that removing beta-amyloid from the brain is associated with a significant slowing of disease progression in people living with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.”
The results show that starting treatment as early as possible offers the potential for a greater beneficial effect, but there is also potential for slowing disease progression even when treatment is started later in the disease progression. These benefits are real and meaningful, and they give people more time to participate in daily life. and stay independent and make future health care decisions.
In addition to delaying the worsening of symptoms by an average of 4.5 to 7.5 months, the researchers said, the drug also means patients can continue to perform daily activities for longer.
It can help early symptomatic Alzheimer’s patients “stay working, enjoy trips, and share quality time with family” and “feel like themselves, for longer.”
For most people, the problem resolved without causing symptoms, but there have been three deaths related to taking the drug, and at least two are thought to be due to swelling or bleeding.
Experts said patients should be aware of the risks of treatment so they can choose whether to take these drugs.
Professor Paresh Malhotra, chair of neurology at Imperial College London, said: “If the drug is approved in the UK, the NHS will need to adapt significantly to provide it and there will need to be an honest discussion between patients, carers and clinicians, about the benefits. risks associated with this type of treatment. The UK’s regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), will now determine whether both drugs are safe for use in the UK. These processes are likely to take at least 18 months, giving The health service took time to prepare for any mass deployment.
Dr Susan Koolhaas, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said today’s announcement “marks another milestone” after decades of research, adding, “We are entering a new era in which Alzheimer’s disease can be treated. As a potential first-generation treatment, the effects of dunanimab are modest, But these results provide further confirmation that removing amyloid from the brain can alter the course of Alzheimer’s disease, and may help people with this devastating disease if treated in time. Regulators need to weigh these benefits and risks before granting a license for use.
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