Researchers at the University of Georgia suggest that Alzeihmer’s drug Leqembi may not provide the benefits it promised.
UGA’s Mark Ebell and his co-authors reviewed 19 publications on the effects of Leqembi and other monoclonal antibody drugs. The researchers found most studies showed improvements in cognitive functions, but no significant improvements in memory or behavior.
“We found that even after 18 to 24 months of treatment, the differences in function and cognition between treated and untreated patients were so small that a patient or their caregiver generally wouldn’t notice the difference,” said Ebell.
Leqembi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last summer. It was sold to patients and doctors as a groundbreaking treatment for people with mild Alzheimer's.
The study goes on to outline the downsides of Lequembi that may outweigh the slight benefits, such as the high cost and potential side effects like brain swelling and brain bleeds.
The paper, “Clinically Important Benefits and Harms of Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Amyloid for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” is available to read at annfammed.org.
