Alzheimer's wonder drug could give patients four more years of good health
Share this @internewscast.com

Groundbreaking new Alzheimer’s treatment could give patients four years of better health. Patients who participated in the trial of the drug lecanemab also saw improvements in their cognitive function. Last year, the treatment was licensed for use in the UK after trials demonstrated its ability to slow the progress of the disease. 

The results show that, over 18 months, it slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s by 5.7 months. 478 patients then stayed on the drug for four years, which found an average delay of almost 11 months before their disease worsened to the next stage, The Telegraph has revealed. A staggering 69% of patients with low levels of tau – the protein that builds up as Alzheimer’s progresses – saw no decline at all over four years. Over half (56%) of those in the same group also saw major improvements in their cognitive scores. 

Patients with mild dementia usually see scores rise by between one and two points each year on the scoring systems used to track Alzheimer’s. However, across the entire group trialling the drug, decline slowed to just 1.75 points over four years. 

“The thing I really focus on is the time saved. You will get worse over time, but it will take longer to get there,” Prof Christopher Van Dyck, the director of the Alzheimer’s Research unit at the Yale school of medicine and the study leader, said. 

He added that the findings argued the case for starting early treatment of the disease due to it having the best results in people with the lowest pathology. 

Experts have since said the new treatments could “meaningfully change the course of the disease”, and not just slow decline. 

A separate trail of the similar drug donanemab also showed promising results. Patients were tracked for three years, with the treatment given for just 18 months.

The findings showed that those on the drug had gained between six and 12 months before the disease progressed further, compared to those not on the treatment. 

Dr Sheona Scales, the director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, told The Telegraph that, while the findings offered renewed hope, research is ongoing.

“This is the first wave of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s and, while the progress is encouraging, there are still many pieces of the puzzle we don’t yet have,” she said. 

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

COVID Surge in US as Authorities Consider Limiting Booster Shots

Covid is on the rise again in the US, as children begin…

How 46-Year-Old Country Star Zac Brown Achieved His Impressive Weight Loss

Zac Brown has revealed the secret to his weight loss transformation after…

Two Fatalities and 58 Cases Reported in New York City Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak

Two people have died and at least 58 have been sickened amid…

More States Restrict Junk Food Purchases for Specific Individuals — Is Your State Included?

Soda and candy have now been made off-limits to certain Americans in…

Lorraine Stanley, 49, Opens Up About Undergoing Weight-Loss Surgery After Other Methods Failed; Shares Her Experience of Shedding 6.5 Stone

Lorraine Stanley has revealed that she had weight-loss surgery after becoming ‘immune’…

Crucial NHS Service Often Overlooked Due to Hospitals’ Low Emphasis

Last night a DJ didn’t save my life but a woman did…

Panic over global outbreak rises as China’s virus leads to quarantines and reports of thousands of new cases

Chinese officials announced Covid-like quarantines in some cities as cases of chikungunya…

Health Officials Urgently Recall Three Popular Chocolate Bars Over Deadly Hazard

Three cult Dubai-style chocolate bars have been urgently recalled by UK food…

Caution Advised for Those Using Weight-Loss Injections: Risk of Regaining Weight

Patients coming off popular weight-loss injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro risk…

Understanding the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate and the Recommended Amount to Consume

Eating dark chocolate could have health benefits if you don’t overdo it…

Health Concerns for Donald Trump: Woman with Similar Condition Offers Brief Warning

A woman with the same medical condition as Donald Trump says she…