July 31, 2023 - The first ever treatment for cognitive and functional deterioration associated with Alzheimer's disease is to be reviewed with Professor Judith Aaron-Peretz, Senior Physician at the Cognitive Neurology Unit at Rambam Medical Center (Rambam) and Chief Scientific Advisor to EMDA (The Alzheimer's Association of Israel) and the Israel Neurological Association.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first ever drug therapy to treat early Alzheimer's disease. The drug, Leqembi®, fights back at amyloid betas- the protein build-ups that accumulate in the patient's brain. The drug Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) is now pending approval for use at Rambam by the Ministry of Health.
"The drug Leqembi will not heal Alzheimer's disease, but when it is administered to patients in the first stages of the disease, it can lessen cognitive and functional deterioration," remarks Professor Aaron-Peretz. "The initial cause for Alzheimer's isn’t clear. Intensive research in the past few years brought clarity to the pathological processes that develop in the brain tissue and cause cognitive and behavioral deterioration, and a tremendous effort is being made in order to intervene in these pathological processes. Leqembi proves that we can intervene and treat the pathologies of Alzheimer's disease."
Alzheimer’s is a neurological disorder, characterized by changes in the brain following protein build-up around brain cells. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease and changes in the brain's chemistry could begin years before any signs of the disease are apparent.
The stages of Alzheimer's are separated into three categories: mild or "stage one", moderate "stage two", and severe "stage three". The disease is most commonly identified by its symptoms of dementia (forgetfulness), and a loss of cognitive function in thinking, remembering, and reasoning.
Early symptoms include the inability to come up with the right name or word. Family members may notice a personality change. As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen and include experiencing difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings, and losing or misplacing an object. During stage two of Alzheimer’s, dementia is more pronounced. The patient may confuse words, get frustrated or angry, and act in unexpected ways. Severe Alzheimer's requires constant supervision by a caregiver and geriatric specialist. Damage to nerve cells in the brain also make it difficult for the patient to express thoughts and perform routine tasks without assistance. Patients often get lost or wander off. The patient experiences changes in physical abilities including walking, sitting, and eventually- swallowing.
Three other leading drug companies Elli Lilly and Company, AB Science, and Annovis Bio are researching and developing a new drug for Alzheimer’s. They are in final stages of development
According to Professor Aaron-Peretz, "Additional medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are in their advanced stages of clinical trial. We are talking about a breakthrough treatment and we are hoping that it will ultimately prevent or at least treat and delay this difficult disease. We are hoping that Leqembi will be approved by Israel’s Ministry of Health and made available here in the near future, for treating Alzheimer’s patients."
Based on an article that first appeared on the YNet Hebrew news website