Does someone in your family, perhaps your beloved mother, father, or life partner, suffer from Alzheimer's disease? Then you probably know very well how difficult and painful it is for everyone in the family. It is not easy to watch this disease where you lose your memory day by day and forget who you are. So when news comes about a new drug for this disease, it brings great hope and a lot of questions to the mind. "Does this really work? Are there any side effects? Who can use this?" There must be many questions in your mind. So let's talk about everything clearly and simply today.
What is this new talking medicine?
The name of this new drug is Lecanemab, and it will be marketed under the name Leqembi. First of all, the most important thing we all need to understand is that this is not a cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, it does something big. That is, it slows down the progression of the disease in the early stages . Simply put, it delays the deterioration of the patient's memory and thinking ability.
This is given as an intravenous infusion every two weeks. The medicine is slowly infused into the body, just like saline.
How does this medicine work?
Imagine, when we get Alzheimer's disease, something sticky and like garbage builds up between our brain cells. We call this amyloid. This protein called amyloid is the main cause of damage to brain cells and memory loss. So what this new drug does is it targets this unwanted amyloid protein in the brain and removes it. In other words, this drug attacks the root cause of the disease.
This is a big step forward in our medical field. Because most of the medications that have been available for so long have only been able to control some of the symptoms. But this medicine is trying to change the course of the disease.
What are the consequences and risks of this?
Like any medicine, this one has its pros and cons. It's important that we are aware of both.
Research has shown that patients who took this drug for 18 months had a 27% reduction in memory and thinking ability compared to the placebo group. The amount of amyloid in the brain was also significantly reduced. While this may seem like a small percentage, it is a big deal that a patient can still see their loved ones and do their work for a few more months.
But, we are also aware of the risks.
The main risk of this drug is a condition called ARIA (amyloid-related imaging abnormalities). Simply put, this can cause small swellings or small bleeds in the brain . In research, this condition has been reported in about 14% of people who took the drug. But for most people, this does not cause major symptoms. But rarely, it can be serious.
This risk is especially high for patients taking blood thinners . Therefore, it is imperative that the patient tell the doctor about all other medications they are taking before starting this medication.
In addition, side effects such as fever, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and changes in blood pressure may occur during the injection.
| Pros | Risks and Cons |
|---|---|
| Slows down memory loss in the early stages of the disease. | Risk of brain swelling and bleeding (ARIA). |
| Removes harmful amyloid proteins from the brain. | It must be injected into a vein every two weeks. |
| Brings new hope for treating the disease. | Being very expensive internationally. |
| Gives more time to the patient and family. | Side effects such as fever and nausea may occur. |
Who exactly is this medicine suitable for?
This is the most important point. This medicine is not suitable for every Alzheimer's patient.
- Only for early-stage patients: This drug is most effective in patients who are in the early-stage of the disease, meaning they have just started to show symptoms. It is less likely to be effective in patients who are in the late stages of the disease, when the disease is more severe.
- Amyloid must be confirmed: It is necessary to confirm that the patient has amyloid deposits in the brain through special tests (a PET scan or a lumbar puncture).
- Not for other types of dementia: This medicine is not suitable for other types of memory loss, other than Alzheimer's (e.g. vascular dementia).
Therefore, only a neurologist can decide whether this medication is suitable for a patient.
Price and condition in Sri Lanka
The price of this medicine is very high. The annual cost in the United States is about $26,500 (more than 8 million Sri Lankan currency). It may take some time for such a new, specialized and expensive medicine to be registered in our country and become available to ordinary patients. Also, due to the high price, it may be practically difficult for everyone to obtain it.
However, this is a great hope for the future. With the advancement of science, we hope that one day, such medicines will be further developed and will be affordable and easily available to everyone.
Take-Home Message
- Lecanemab is not a cure for Alzheimer's disease, but a drug that slows the progression of the disease in the early stages .
- This removes harmful amyloid proteins from the brain, but it also has dangerous side effects such as brain swelling and bleeding.
- This medication is not suitable for everyone, especially for patients who are in the early stages of the disease and have been confirmed to have amyloid in the brain.
- This is very expensive, and its availability in Sri Lanka is currently uncertain.
- If someone in your family has Alzheimer's disease, see your doctor to discuss any new treatments or medical conditions. Don't make decisions based on what you see online.
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