- The FDA has approved the use of Kinsula for adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s | Photo: EFE
Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced on Tuesday, July 2, that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of its new drug, Donanemab, which slows Alzheimer’s disease for the early treatment of the illness.
The drug will be marketed under the name Kinsula. The drug has shown a slowdown in cognitive and functional decline by up to 35% during the final phase of clinical trials, the pharmaceutical manufacturer said in a statement.
The FDA has approved Kinsula for use in adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, which includes people with moderate cognitive impairment as well as patients with mild dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
About 6.7 million Americans over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer’s, an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that slowly destroys memory and the ability to perform tasks.
How does Donanemab work?
Donanemab targets amyloid plaques, which form from a buildup of proteins produced naturally by the body. These plaques are linked to a number of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases.
Excessive buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain can lead to memory loss and other problems associated with Alzheimer’s. However, this drug is not a cure for the disease, but rather a delay in its effects.
One of the side effects seen in Donanemab trials was brain inflammation, which affected one-third of the study participants. Although, in most cases this resolved without causing symptoms, according to a note published by BBC in July 2023.
Eli Lilly said the cost of the therapy is $12,522 for six treatments over six months; $32,000 for 13 treatments over 12 months; and $48,696 for 19 treatments over 18 months.
FDA-approved drugs for Alzheimer’s
Kinsula is the second treatment that the FDA has approved in recent months to treat Alzheimer’s.
In 2023, the federal agency has already approved the use of Lecanemab, an Alzheimer’s drug from the Japanese company Eisai and the American company Biogen that is marketed under the brand name Leqembi.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Lecanemab is administered by intravenous infusion every two weeks to people who show early symptoms of the disease.
Some people taking this drug may experience some of the following side effects:
– Dizziness
-Headache
-Changes in vision
-Worseening confusion
-Brain swelling or bleeding
-Brain shrinkage
-In rare cases, death
Percentage of people suffering from Alzheimer’s in the world
According to a 2023 report by Alzheimer’s Disease International, more than 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. Of these, 60% to 70% suffer from Alzheimer’s.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2019 the economic cost of dementia amounted to 1.3 trillion dollars and that by 2050 the number of people with the disease will increase to 139 million.
With information from EFE
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2024-07-03 05:54:55