Donanemab is the new Alzheimer's medicine that is being touted as a real breakthrough in the fight against the disease, having the merit of slowing down the cognitive decline it causes.
If taken in the early stages of the disease, the medicine would be able to eliminate a protein that accumulates in the brains of people with the disease. What needs to be clarified, however, is that donanemab is not a medicine that cures Alzheimer's but only helps to slow down its degenerative symptoms.
Based on current studies, it appears that the medicine was able to slow down the rate of the disease by about a third, allowing people to benefit from more time to live their daily lives to the fullest.
Donanemab is the new Alzheimer's meidcine that is being touted as a real breakthrough in the fight against the disease, having the merit of slowing down the cognitive decline it causes. If taken in the early stages of the disease, the medicine would be able to eliminate a protein that accumulates in the brains of people with the disease.
What needs to be made clear, however, is that donanemab is not a medicine that cures Alzheimer's but only helps to slow down its degenerative symptoms. Based on current studies, it appears that the medicine has been able to slow down the rate of the disease by about a third, allowing people to benefit from more time to live their daily lives to the fullest.
Among the more than 1,700 people who took part in the experimental study, aged between 60 and 85, the following results were found after 18 months of treatment: in some patients the medicine appears to have had a significant benefit, the rate of the disease slowed down by between 20 and 30 per cent in general and by 30 to 40 per cent in patients who the researchers felt were more likely to respond, and at least half of the patients were able to stop the medicine after one year because sufficient brain deposits had been eliminated.
Despite the encouraging results, however, the medicine is not without side effects. Swelling of the brain was reported in some patients, which in most cases resolved without causing symptoms. Patients should however be aware of any significant side effects.
According to the researchers, the effects of this new medicine may be modest but at the same time it could provide a further answer as to whether removing amyloid from the brain could help change the course of Alzheimer's. And consequently, improve the quality of life of those affected.