A new drug called Lecanemab is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that begins with memory loss and can progress with not being able to respond to the environment. Mayo Clinic says “Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die”. There are around 5.8 million people in the United States, 65 years of age and older that have Alzheimer’s disease. As of right now, Alzheimer’s has no cure andonly medicine made to enhance cognative function. 

Lecanemab is a new drug made by a US Biotechnology company called Biogen and a Japanease Pharmaceutical Drugmaking company called Eisai. Currently, Lecanemab is in the clinical trial phase, but NPR.org said “The agency is expected to consider a conditional approval in early 2023 and a full approval later in the year”. Lecanemab appears to slow cognative decline, meaning to slow Alzheimer’s down. Since there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s, the fact that scientists make a drug that shows slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s is a big deal.

There are other drugs that can be used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, but none of them were made to slow Alzheimer’s down.Donepezil is a drug that can be used to treat Alzheimer’s, but it was originaly used for Dementia and only helps with some of Alzheimer symptoms. Another drug being used is Galantamine, which is used to treat mild to moderate dementia and it is given to Alzhimer’s patients but it can not cure it or stop the progression. It can only help some symptoms that are the same symptoms of dementia. The last drug used by Alzheimer patients is Rivastigmine. It is also used to treat dementia and for Alzheimer patients. It can help with their thinking ability, but Lecanemab is meant for Alzheimer’s and is showing in clinical trials it can slow progression. For all people suffering with Alzhiemer’s, we hope that there can be a cure, not just a drug slowing the progression down.