Lecanemab: New Alzheimer’s Drug

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    • Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has granted fast-track approval to an Alzheimer’s medicine, Lecanemab.
      • The drug is marketed as Leqembi.
      • It is the second such monoclonal antibody to receive an approval from the regulator.

    Alzheimer Disease

    • About:
      • It is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die. 
      • It is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioural and social skills that affects a person’s ability to function independently.
    • Symptoms:
      • Memory loss- The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. 
      • Later, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will develop severe memory impairment and lose the ability to carry out everyday tasks.
      • In advanced stages of the disease, complications from severe loss of brain function — such as dehydration, malnutrition or infection — result in death.
    • Treatment:
      • There is no treatment that cures Alzheimer’s disease or alters the disease process in the brain.

    Source: IE