New drug to slow Alzheimer’s disease

WASHINGTON – A new drug called donanemab has shown promise in slowing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

A phase 3 clinical trial found that donanemab slows cognitive decline by about 35%.

This is the second drug in recent weeks that has shown promise in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The other drug, lecanemab, was fully approved by the FDA just a few weeks ago.

Donanemab and lecanemab are both monoclonal antibodies that target key beta-amyloid proteins associated with the disease.

These antibodies slow cognitive decline in the early stages of the disease.

Both drugs are administered in a clinical setting as an infusion into the veins and are closely monitored.

These monoclonal antibody drugs carry some risks, including brain swelling and bleeding.

However, for some people, the potential benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, approximately 6.7 million Americans suffer from this disease associated with memory loss.

“All these medications, all of them end with a ‘mab,’ because they are monoclonal antibodies,” Dr. Jagan Pillai, an associate professor at the Cleveland Clinic School of Medicine told a news website. 

“There are other medications being tested as well, but these are the two big medications that you are likely to see in the clinic in the near future,” he said.