NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — More than 6,000,000 Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of death in the United States.
North Dakota reports the fourth highest mortality rate for Alzheimer’s disease in the country at 52.9 per 100,000 North Dakotas.
But partners Eisai and Biogen have had a breakthrough in a clinical trial with a new Alzheimers drug that could help slow down the disease’s effects.
The Alzheimer’s Association and its partners are excited to announce the advancement of a new therapy that helps slow the cognitive impairment of the disease.
“What it is, is it’s an anti-amyloid beta drug. So what it is going to do is remove the beta-amyloid proteins from the brain. And the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is having beta-amyloid in the brain so you want to remove those toxins, to keep your brain healthy,” said Susan Parriott, the CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association for Minnesota and North Dakota.
The drug is called Lecanemab.
It’s an infusion drug that is given twice a month.
Eisai and Biogen and their partner say that the new therapy successfully slows the memory-robbing condition of the disease.
The study reported the drug reduced cognitive decline by 27% in people who received the drug compared to placebo.
“If we can get people diagnosed in the really early stages of this disease, so mild cognitive impairment and that’s what this drug will target, That means you can maintain your cognition when you’re really not that far along within the disease itself. I think it means the world to all the people that this impacts,” said Parriott.
Because of the success of the drug, it could be approved by the FDA as early as January of next year.
Although they say it’s far from a cure, the therapy gives hope to millions of Americans affected by the debilitating disease.
More data about the clinical trial results will be presented at the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s disease conference in San Francisco.