Lecanemab: New Alzheimer’s Drug

In News

• Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has granted fast-track approval to an Alzheimer’s medicine, Lecanemab.
  • The drug is marketed as Leqembi.
  • It is the second such monoclonal antibody to receive an approval from the regulator.

Alzheimer Disease

• About:
  • It is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die. 
  • It is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioural and social skills that affects a person’s ability to function independently.
• Symptoms:
  • Memory loss- The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. 
  • Later, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will develop severe memory impairment and lose the ability to carry out everyday tasks.
  • In advanced stages of the disease, complications from severe loss of brain function — such as dehydration, malnutrition or infection — result in death.
• Treatment:
  • There is no treatment that cures Alzheimer’s disease or alters the disease process in the brain.

Source: IE