DeepSummary
The podcast episode discusses a new Alzheimer's drug called lecanumab that was recently approved in the US and is being tested in a clinical trial in Toronto to see if it can delay or prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The episode interviews Kelly Grant, a health reporter at the Globe and Mail, to explain what is currently known about this new class of Alzheimer's drugs.
Grant provides background on Alzheimer's disease, its prevalence in Canada, and the challenges in diagnosing and treating it. She explains that lecanumab has shown modest success in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, but the current trial aims to test its effectiveness as a preventative measure in cognitively normal individuals with biomarkers for amyloid buildup in the brain.
While the drug has side effects and risks, including potential brain bleeds and swelling, it represents a breakthrough after decades of failed Alzheimer's drug trials. The results of the prevention trial are not expected until 2029, but if successful, it could lead to earlier screening and treatment to delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Lecanumab is a new Alzheimer's drug that has shown modest success in slowing disease progression in clinical trials.
- A clinical trial called AHEAD is currently testing lecanumab's effectiveness in preventing or delaying Alzheimer's symptoms in cognitively normal individuals at risk.
- Lecanumab represents a potential breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment after decades of failed drug trials.
- While lecanumab has risks like potential brain bleeds and swelling, it provides hope for better management of Alzheimer's disease.
- If successful, the lecanumab prevention trial could lead to earlier screening and treatment to delay or prevent Alzheimer's onset.
- There is still a lot of uncertainty around lecanumab's effectiveness, and results from the prevention trial are not expected until 2029 or later.
- Alzheimer's disease poses a significant burden on patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system, making effective treatments a priority.
- In addition to medical treatments, lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and social engagement may help reduce dementia risk.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “One of the experts I spoke to for this story put it this way. He said, it has been, in a word, agonizing. It has been agonizing to watch trial after trial after trial of new potential compounds for Alzheimer's disease just fail. There have been basically two decades of every trial failing. Now that has started to change.“ by Kelly Grant
- “So when you compared people who received this drug to people who were on the placebo, those who were on the drug got worse, slower.“ by Kelly Grant
- “The long term sort of dream here is if you can detect amyloid using a blood test, which we can already do and is already being done in the United States, and then you had drugs that were really good at preventing or delaying the symptoms of Alzheimer's, you could begin to treat people before they develop cognitive impairment again, I would stress that is a big if, but that is what is riding on these prevention trials.“ by Kelly Grant
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Episode Information
The Decibel
The Globe and Mail
4/16/24