Two new drugs targeting early-stage Alzheimer’s disease are expected to be put into clinical use as soon as Thursday next week, following an approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year.
The new drugs, Leqembi, developed by US and Japanese researchers, and Kisunla, developed by Eli Lilly, target amyloid plaque in people’s brains, which can delay the disease’s progression.
Research has demonstrated that an injection of Leqembi every two weeks can slow Alzheimer’s progression by 26 percent, while a monthly injection of Kisunla can delay it by up to 35 percent.
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Both drugs must be administered in a hospital, meaning people cannot self-inject.
The drugs are not suitable for everyone with dementia, said Chen Jui-hsing (甄瑞興), the head of the Dementia Center within Far Eastern Memorial Hospital’s Department of Neurology.
Of the roughly 350,000 people with dementia in Taiwan, Alzheimer’s accounts for 60 to 70 percent or about 200,000 people, Chen said.
The new drugs can only target the amyloid buildup of early Alzheimer’s, and once the disease enters later stages, the drugs are no longer effective, he said.
Furthermore, people who have had a stroke or brain hemorrhage should not take the drugs, as they increase the likelihood of such conditions, he said.
Although clinical data show that about 3 percent of people experienced hemorrhaging and 0.7 percent saw slowed neurological reactions, the drugs need further evaluation for long-term effects, he said.
After screening out genetic factors, people’s conditions or the progress of the disease, there could only be about 100,000 people who meet the requirements, he said.
Another concern is the cost, as much as NT$1 million (US$33,422) a year for treatment, excluding the expense incurred by other examinations, Chen said.
There are other treatments that are in the research-and-development phase, which could, in theory, allow people to delay cognitive decline for longer, he said.
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