US approves drug for Alzheimer's disease

On Tuesday (02), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency that regulates US medicines, approved Donanemab, a monoclonal antibody designed to slow the progression of symptomatic Alzheimer's disease in the early stages. Understand:

Donanemab: a hope for Alzheimer's

_{New drug for Alzheimer's (Photo: Reproduction/Eli Lilly)}

The drug, which will be sold under the brand name Kisunla, was approved after recommendations from outside experts at the agency. All of the experts agreed that the drug should be used in patients with early-stage Alzheimer's. The drug costs about $695, which would be equivalent to $12,520 for a six-month course of treatment, or about $32,000 per year, depending on when the patient finishes treatment.

While Donanemab is not a cure, clinical trials have shown that it stops the progression of Alzheimer's and allows people to live longer independent lives and do everyday things safely, with “highly significant results,” according to Eli Lily, the brand that makes the drug.

According to the tests carried out, there was 35% less disease progression over a year and a half for those who took the medication.

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease that develops gradually and affects behavior, thinking, and memory. It is the most prevalent type of dementia in older adults.

Although the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, a variety of genetic factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors are believed to be primarily responsible.

Approximately 1.2 million Brazilians suffer from dementia, and 100,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. The number could reach up to 50 million people worldwide.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Current treatments focus on alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life. However, Donanemab has emerged as a way to prevent the disease from progressing in early cases.

Featured Photo: Brain Remedies (Reproduction: Istock/Folha de São Paulo)