An estimated 50 million people live with dementia globally, more than two-thirds of them in poorer countries, but diagnosis and monitoring currently need costly scans. Photo Credit: Alamy

Health The World3. February 2025

New Era for the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

The fight against Alzheimer’s disease has entered a new era thanks to pills capable of preventing the illness or blunting its effects, giving hope to millions of people worldwide.

“I’m just so excited about this,” exclaims Jedd Cummings, Professor of brain science and health at the University of Nevada. “We are truly in a new era. We have opened the door to understanding and manipulating the biology of Alzheimer’s disease for the benefit of our patients.”

In 2024, Eisai and Biogen’s lecanemab and Eli Lilly’s donanemab were approved by medicine watchdogs. Those two drugs prompt the body to remove amyloid plaque in the brain, slowing decline by around 30%. There are currently 127 drugs in trials for Alzheimer’s disease. Semaglutide – better known as the injectable drug for diabetes Ozempic – in tablet form is currently in trials for Alzheimer’s. The results will be known by the end of 2025. According to trial results, new drugs could be administered through injection, opening the door for at-home administration by a nurse or a caregiver. A blood test looking for biomarkers of dementia has been approved to diagnose Alzheimer’s, which could eventually be used for diagnosis in clinics in place of expensive scans. An estimated 50 million people live with dementia worldwide. “Ultimately, we want oral medications, some pills that can be taken once a day.”

Source:
The Guardian

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