US Approves Groundbreaking Alzheimer's Disease Drug Lecanemab Amid Multiple Deaths Reported

Alzheimer's disease treatment could now become a reality as the US approved a drug that could reportedly mitigate the degenerating health effects of the notorious illness.

FDA Approves Lecanemab

(Photo : Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP) (Photo by PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

In its news release, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has granted the accelerated approval of the drug for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Lecanemab, also called as Leqembi, is the second of a new category of medications which target the fundamental pathophysiology of the chronic neurological ailment.

The FDA acknowledges that the medications signify an important advancement towards the ongoing fight to effectively treat Alzheimer's once and for all. For years, the progressive neurologic disorder has mostly affected older people. However, there are also instances where younger people acquire this adverse health condition.

Alzheimer's disease severely impacts the lives of those stricken by it and even affects their loved ones. With this, the treatment option is the latest therapy that we have to target the underlying biological mechanisms of Alzheimer's, instead of only treating its symptoms, said Billy Dunn, M.D., who is the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research - Office of Neuroscience.

Scientists welcomed the FDA's approval of Leqembi but their excitement is shrouded by reports of patient deaths and that the said US government agency "acted improperly" last year when approving the first drug of such kind, as cited by nature.com.

The accelerated approval will allow the distribution and usage of Lecanemab which will be sold under the brand name Leqembi. It is considered by health authorities as the first Alzheimer's treatment shown to have slowed down cognitive decline based on a clinical trial.

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Alzheimer's Cases

Without the approved drug, the FDA emphasizes Alzheimer's disease is irreversible and a progressive brain disorder that has affected over 6.5 million Americans whose memory and thinking skills are gradually declining, even affecting the ability to carry out simple tasks like decision-making in one's daily lives.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites that Alzheimer's disease, being the most common type of dementia, is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by the year 2060. Evident symptoms can first appear after the age of 60 but the risk increases with age. Furthermore, it added the number of people living with the disease will double every 5 years beyond age 65.

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

The non-profit organization Alzheimer's Association highlights the following symptoms and causes of Alzheimer's disease, which it asserts to be not part of aging but worsens over time once afflicted with it. This means that although the disorder mostly affects individuals in the old age bracket group (60 years and above), it does not follow that all or a majority of people will get it as they grow older.

Yet, the most common symptoms that we see amongst people suffering from Alzheimer's is experiencing difficulty remembering newly learned information, the association says. In addition to the ones mentioned earlier, severe symptoms may include disorientation, mood, and behavior changes, as well as confusion about sense of time, place, and events.

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