Next week could mark a significant period in the lengthy and continuing effort to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s. The federal Food and Drug Administration is expected to stamp its approval on a new medication, one looked to for slowing the progression of the memory-loss disease.
Dr. Greg Jicha describes the anticipated FDA approval of lecanemab as the first step toward a cure of Alzheimer’s. Jicha directs clinical trials at UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. The neurologist said the drug works to remove amyloid plaque from the brain. Jicha said it starts with knocking out this portion of Alzheimer’s and then to shift the focus.
“If we can pull that all together we may have combinations of medicines in the future that actually result in our ability to completely stop or essentially cure the disease,” said Jicha.
Jicha said that’s the hope over the next decade or two to keep pushing in that direction. He stresses lecanemab is only for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients and is administered through an infusion every two weeks.
Here's the entire interview with Dr. Jicha:
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