A drug developed by Biogen Inc. and Eisai Co. has achieved a first in Alzheimer¡¯s research: In a large, late-stage trial, lecanemab slowed down the cognitive decline in people with early disease.
The therapy¡¯s effect was modest. But given the litany of failures in Alzheimer¡¯s drug development, it¡¯s a stunning turn for the field. And while skepticism about the true meaning of these results ¡ª for patients, for the fate of similar drugs, for our understanding of the disease ¡ª is warranted, the result is meaningful enough to let the Alzheimer¡¯s community celebrate a possible win.
Biogen and Eisai¡¯s drug slowed cognitive decline by 27% over 18 months compared to a placebo in a large trial with nearly 1,800 people with early Alzheimer¡¯s. Those data make it the first to show a clinical benefit in a late-stage study, but it won¡¯t be the first amyloid-targeting drug to reach the market.
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