Amyloid buildup control helps to slow down Alzheimer's disease

"Amyloid buildup is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Many scientists believe that removing amyloid from the brain could slow cognitive decline. But the long line of failed amyloid treatments has prompted skepticism in some quarters. Many dismissed Biogen's first-in-class amyloid drug Aduhelm despite positive results from one late-stage trial because another trial showed mixed results.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Aduhelm based on the totality of evidence. But Medicare refused to pay for it and other anti-amyloid treatments that might win accelerated government approval outside of clinical trials because it wasn't convinced that removing amyloid can slow the disease. Biogen's new experimental amyloid drug lecanemab provides more evidence it can.

Even the NIH seems to agree. Lecanemab slowed the rate of cognitive decline by 27% over 18 months, similar to Aduhelm." [1]

1. You Didn't Invent That Drug
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 07 Oct 2022: A.16.