Safety Concerns in Dementia Drug Famous for Slowing Alzheimer’s Progression by Up to a THIRD in As Many as 90% of Patients

A recent study suggests that lecanemab, one of the first drugs for Alzheimer’s capable of slowing down disease progression, may not be safe for the majority of patients.

Research indicates that lecanemab can decrease the degenerating brain condition by one-third. The US health regulators have recently approved the bi-monthly injection for patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Next month, the NHS spending watchdog will assess the suitability of the drug for use in the UK population, potentially benefitting the one million individuals affected by Alzheimer’s in the country.

However, caution is advised as the drug’s safety remains unproven for nine out of ten patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, given that it has only been tested on otherwise healthy individuals.

The drug, created by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and US biotech firm Biogen, was developed to treat mild cognitive impairment in patients with amyloid in the brain.

Potential participants in the lecanemab trial conducted by Japanese drug firm Eisai were ineligible if they had conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart problems, or a history of cancer.

Despite their good health, a high number of participants experienced side effects. Data published by Eisai indicates that approximately 10% of lecanemab-treated patients experienced life-threatening brain swelling, while 16% developed brain bleeds. Three participants in the 1,800-participant trial died as a result of drug-related side effects.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota analyzed the health records of 237 older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia. They found that 92% of them had underlying health issues that would have excluded them from the lecanemab trial.

Dr. Maria Vassilaki, an epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic and study author, emphasized the need for further research into the safety and efficacy of lecanemab before considering it for “less healthy populations.”