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William Brangham:
Earlier this month, an FDA advisory panel unanimously agreed that the drug known as Leqembi modestly slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s. The FDA is expected to give final approval next month.
A similar drug known as donanemab has also shown promise in clinical trials. It too could see FDA approval as soon as this year. The results from these drugs are modest, and there are concerns about certain side effects, like brain swelling and bleeding.
So, for more on these advances and what obstacles lie ahead, we’re joined by Dr. Richard Hodes. He’s the longtime director of the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Hodes, so good to have you on the program.
As you well know, researchers have been trying for decades to find some crack in Alzheimer’s armor. And now we have some hope with these new drugs. When you look at the clinical results so far, how promising disease seem to you?
Dr. Richard Hodes, Director, National Institute on Aging: I think you have you have put it very well in context.
For the first time, this is a set of results which, in the analysis of experts who review the findings, is a clear, significant impact on slowing the course of disease. Where there is discussion is the magnitude of this change.
But where I think we would all agree is that this is an important first step that holds promise of improving by working upon this foundational initial finding to do even better and get a better ratio, if you will, of positive effect, of prevention treatment, and to side effects, which are also a significant point of data in these findings and in the recommendations that are forthcoming from them.
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