Over the past two years, two Alzheimer’s disease drugs were approved under accelerated approval. Both drugs are based on popular amyloid beta-plaque theories, yet both have raised questions.
On Jan. 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb), a new monoclonal antibody that seems to slow cognitive decline in some Alzheimer’s patients. In June 2021, Aduhelm (aducanumab) was approved.
Modest Cognitive Improvement
In 1984, researchers first isolated the amyloid protein plaque that has since been identified as the primary sign of Alzheimer’s disease. In the years since that discovery, reducing levels of amyloid has been the goal of scientists seeking effective treatments for this disabling, and ultimately fatal, disease….