New drug slow’s progression of Alzheimer’s in ‘turning point in fight against the disease’

New drug donanemab has been found to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease with experts hailing it as a ‘turning point’.

Donanemab was found to slow ‘cognitive decline’ by up to 35%, allowing people with the disease to continue performing day-to-day tasks and living an independent life.

Alzheimer’s Research UK said ‘we’re entering a new era’ where the disease ‘could become treatable’ following the findings from a clinical trial of the drug.

The medication works by clearing a protein that builds up in the brains of people with the disease.

Although it’s not a cure, the Alzheimer’s Society said treatments such as donanemab could one day mean the disease is comparable to long-term conditions such as asthma or diabetes.

A health watchdog is already assessing whether the drug could be used in the NHS.

Researchers examined almost 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s for the trial — known as TRAILBLAZER ALZ-2.

Half of those who participated were given a monthly infusion of donanemab into the bloodstream and the other half given a placebo over a period of 18 months.

After the study concluded, it showed donanemab slowed clinical decline by about a third of people with early Alzheimer’s whose brain scans showed low or medium levels of a protein called tau.

When the results were combined for people who had different levels of this protein, there was a 22.3% slowing in the progression of the disease. Although extremely promising, these drugs are not risk-free treatments.

Researchers found among a small number of people there were some serious side effects such as brain swelling. Three volunteers died, one being in the placebo group, as a result of dangerous swelling in the brain.

Manufacturers of donanemab, US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, said some taking the drug would be able to finish the course of treatment in six months once their amyloid plaque cleared.

It said treatment with the drug reduced amyloid plaque on average by 84% at 18 months, compared with a 1% decrease for participants who were given a placebo. Almost half of those taking the drug who had early-stage disease and low or medium levels of tau were found to slow the disease for a year.

It comes after trials showed another drug called lecanemab stalled progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms by over a quarter in patients in the early stages of the disease. The drug was approved for use in the US this month.

Dr Mark Mintun, group vice president of neuroscience research and development at Eli Lilly and president of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, said: “People living with early, symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease are still working, enjoying trips, sharing quality time with family – they want to feel like themselves, for longer.

“The results of this study reinforce the importance of diagnosing and treating disease sooner than we do today.”