World ‘on cusp of first generation of treatments for Alzheimer’s’ as new drug ‘slows symptoms’

New drug donanemab appears to slow decline associated with Alzheimer’s

The world is “on the cusp of a first generation of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease”, experts have said, as a new drug was found to slow cognitive and functional decline.

The drug donanemab, made by Eli Lilly and Company, slowed decline by 35% to 36% in a late-stage phase 3 clinical trial, the company said.

Donanemab appeared to slow the decline associated with Alzheimer’s compared to placebo in 1,182 people with early-stage disease based on those with intermediate levels of a protein known as tau.