Lecanemab's side effects infrequently occur in real-world usage
It's 2023, and the world of medicine is evolving rapidly, with Alzheimer's disease treatment taking center stage. A breakthrough medication called lecanemab, now known as Leqembi, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage symptoms and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Like any medication, lecanemab isn't without its side effects. One such concern is amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), associated with swelling or bleeding in the brain. Although rare, the appearance of ARIA is a potential risk.
In light of this, a new study has confirmed the findings from the Clarity AD phase 3 clinical trial. The research reveals that significant adverse events, such as ARIA, are indeed uncommon in the real-world use of lecanemab for those with the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Barbara Joy Snider, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology at WashU Medicine, explains that lecanemab is an antibody, designed to recognize and target specific proteins in the body. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, this protein is amyloid, which can form harmful clumps in the brain.
Snider shares that in a large clinical trial, patients treated with lecanemab for 18 months experienced a 25-30% slower decline in memory and thinking compared to those not on the medication. At the same time, imaging studies showed a reduction in the amyloid plaques in their brains.
The study included 234 people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, with an average age of about 74. When evaluating the participants, 1.8% of those in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease experienced ARIA symptoms, while 27% of those with mild Alzheimer's disease did. However, the effects of ARIA usually resolved within a few months with no reported fatalities.
As discussions around health and treatment decisions evolve, researchers continue to push for more personalized recommendations based on individual risk profiles, striving to balance the benefits of lecanemab with its potential side effects to ensure the best possible care for Alzheimer's patients.
- The approval of lecanemab, now known as Leqembi, by the FDA in 2023 marks a significant advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, a neurological disorder that primarily affects seniors.
- Science has revealed that lecanemab, an antibody designed to target specific proteins in the body, can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by recognizing and eliminating harmful amyloid clumps in the brain.
- Despite the promising benefits of lecanemab, there are potential side effects to consider, including amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which can cause swelling or bleeding in the brain, particularly in patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions.
- A recent study on the real-world use of lecanemab found that significant adverse events such as ARIA are uncommon in individuals with the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease, offering hope for effective health-and-wellness management for affected seniors.
- To ensure the best possible care for Alzheimer's patients, researchers are working towards more personalized therapies-and-treatments recommendations based on individual risk profiles, aiming to strike a balance between the benefits and risks associated with lecanemab and other medical-conditions treatment options.
