World-first Alzheimer’s drug hailed a ‘game-changer’ could stop dementia in its tracks

SUCCESSFUL trials of a world-first Alzheimer’s drug are “game-changing” and mark a step towards a real-world treatment, scientists say.

Experts have hailed study results that prove lecanemab is the first of its kind to work.

It works by clearing nerve-damaging clumps of a protein called amyloid out of the brain.

Manufacturers Eisai and Biogen revealed in September this reduced brain damage suffered over 18 months by 27 per cent, compared to a placebo drug.

They have now published full data from their study in one of the world’s top science journals, the , which confirm its success.

Dr Richard Oakley, from the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “These exciting results could be game-changing. 

“They give us hope that in the future people with early Alzheimer’s disease could have more time with their loved ones. 

“There is still a long way to go before we could see lecanemab available on the NHS and we await clarity for how and when the approval process will take place in the UK.”

Experts last week estimated the first Brit patients could get access to the drug next year.

But the biggest benefits would be for people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s – before serious brain damage – which are almost impossible for doctors to spot.

And scientists debate whether the cost and effort of rolling out the drug will be worth its relatively small benefits.

Professor John Hardy, of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said: “This trial is an important first step, and I truly believe it represents the beginning of the end. 

“The first step is the hardest, and we now know exactly what we need to do to develop effective drugs.

“It’s exciting to think that future work will build on this, and we will soon have life-changing treatments to tackle this disease.”

Prof Bart De Strooper, director at the institute, added: "The overall conclusion is extremely positive. This trial proves that Alzheimer's disease can be treated."

He explained that the participants in the trial were all people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

This raises the question of how we ensure that people can access these drugs at the right stage in their disease course, he added.

"In parallel, we must focus on making early diagnosis easier and more accessible, so that treatments can be administered when they are most likely to have a positive impact, before amyloid levels are too high and start to cause damage to the brain," he said.

However, Prof De Strooper also explained that the benefits of the drug need to be balanced against the side effects.

He said that could involve a bleed or build up of fluid in the brain which can vary from mild to quite severe.

“Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and we still have a lot to learn about the underlying causes.

"It is therefore imperative that we continue to invest in discovery research, and through doing so, we may also identify new targets for which we can develop therapies we could use in combination with anti-amyloid drugs like lecanemab," he said.

However, experts warned that UK officials have much to do to prepare to deliver the drug, provided it gets regulatory approval.

There are two ways to tell whether there is amyloid on the brain – a brain scan or biomarker test which is currently done through lumbar puncture.

While a blood test is on the horizon, dementia services must rely on current tests which are expensive and can have big waiting lists.

Private patients and those living near to big dementia services can access these diagnostic tests, but the vast majority of the public cannot, experts said.

They warned that unless there are big changes in diagnostic services, people could become ineligible for lecanemab treatment while on the waiting list for diagnosis because it can only be given to patients with mild disease – if their disease progresses to a moderate stage while on the waiting list, they will no longer be eligible for treatment.