Dr. Ronald Petersen – Donanemab is a drug that reduces one of the proteins that defines Alzheimer’s
An experimental drug for Alzheimer’s disease shows promise to slow the progression of the disease, according to clinical trial results reported by Eli Lilly and Company. Study participants with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stages of Alzheimer’s disease who received donanemab showed a slowing of clinical decline by 35% compared to placebo and resulted in a 40% less decline in the ability to perform activities of daily living.
“Donanemab is a drug that reduces one of the proteins that defines Alzheimer’s disease in the brain, the amyloid protein,” explains Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “It reduces the amount of that protein over time, and this produces a slowing in the progression of the disease.” The drug lowered amyloid levels in the brain to normal in 71% of the participants by 12 months.
Researchers have been working for years on developing Alzheimer’s disease treatments that can stop or delay the progression of the disorder.
“There are two other drugs that have received accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. Petersen. “This drug is in that class. So, if it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, it will give our physicians other options to treat patients at an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease.”
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