Experimental drug Lecanemab has shown "potential" in treating Alzheimer's disease, according to new trial results, CNN reports . However, these results raise some concerns about the drug's safety due to its association with some serious side effects.
Lecanemab became one of the first experimental drugs for the treatment of senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type. It slows the progression of cognitive decline. The active substance affects a protein mass called beta-amyloid, which accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
The study involved 1,795 volunteers with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. About half of them received the drug, while the rest received a placebo.
The Alzheimer's Association said it was encouraged by the results of the trial. “These results indicate that Lecanemab will give patients more time to participate in daily and independent living. This will give them many extra months of getting to know their spouses, children and grandchildren. Treatments that provide measurable benefits for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in early Alzheimer's disease are just as valuable as treatments that prolong life for people with other incurable diseases.
Currently, people with Alzheimer's disease are prescribed drugs that temporarily help to cope with the symptoms, but do not change the course of the disease.
There are now more than 55 million people in the world suffering from Alzheimer's disease. According to scientists, by 2050 there will be 139 million.
