Alzheimer's drug donanemab

A new drug, donanemab, is being hailed as a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer's, after a global trial confirms it slows cognitive decline.

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Drug donanemab seen as turning point in dementia fight

The antibody treatment donanemab slows clinical decline by around a third, a large trial confirms.

www.bbc.co.uk

The antibody medicine helps in the early stages of the disease by clearing a protein that builds up in the brains of people with this type of dementia.

Although not a cure, charities say the results in the journal JAMA mark a new era where Alzheimer's can be treated.

The UK's drugs watchdog has started assessing it for possible NHS use.

The drug works in Alzheimer's disease, not in other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia.

In the trials, it appears to have slowed the pace of the disease by about a third, allowing people to retain more of their day-to-day lives and tasks, such as making meals and enjoying a hobby.

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Although extremely promising, these drugs are not risk-free treatments.

Brain swelling was a common side-effect in up to a third of patients in the donanemab trial. For most, this resolved without causing symptoms. However, two volunteers, and possibly a third, died as a result of dangerous swelling in the brain.

Another antibody Alzheimer's drug, called aducanumab, was recently rejected by European regulators over safety concerns and a lack of evidence that it was effective enough for patients.

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Wessel said:

It'll be nice when they come out with a drug that is successful and is affordable that would cut down on dementia patients being sent off to nursing homes.

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passenger said:

It will be so wonderful when either an actual cure or cause for this is found; a cause so that it could be prevented.
I guess drugs like this may give some patients a little more time in hopes that a cure will be discovered.
Personally I have a negative opinion of these drugs that only prolong, not improve the condition.

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passenger said:

What you see is what you get........that's my opinion even though it does not agree with yours.

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passenger said:

Having had some 'close encounters' with Alzheimer's patients I have observed that, among countless other fatal difficulties, these people are stuck in an ever-increasing state of confusion and helplessness.
To only prolong these conditions seems a cruel effort. Continuing to allow nature to NATURALLY take it's course seems best until a CURE is found ........ IMO.

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Wessel said:

20 years ago, Time Magazine published many many studies on research cures for Alzheimer's. It's an extremely complicated condition caused by many factors. It could be many many decades before they come up with some new methods to successfully treat it.

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Wessel said:

In any case, the Neuro and Pharmaceutical Science for finding a successful solution to treat Alzheimer's is going to be at a very slow crawl. Scientists in those fields will continue to gather years of empirical research, make hypothesis, and perform a plethora of tests before real results can be presented.

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Wessel said:

There are several viral illness' that can increase a person's chance of developing dementia. But getting sick is just one out of many factors.

Could a viral illness increase chances of developing Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative disease?

Some viral illnesses may increase a person’s chances of later developing Alzheimer’s disease or another neurodegenerative disorder. Though a causal link cannot be confirmed, an NIH study found significant associations.

www.nia.nih.gov

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~ True Legend ~ said:

EDIT: I talk trash - the vaccine would only cure the virus that causes Alzheimer's and not the Alzheimer's itself ;P

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Wessel said:

There are several viral illness' that can increase a person's chance of developing dementia. But getting sick is just one out of many factors.

Could a viral illness increase chances of developing Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative disease?

Some viral illnesses may increase a person’s chances of later developing Alzheimer’s disease or another neurodegenerative disorder. Though a causal link cannot be confirmed, an NIH study found significant associations.

www.nia.nih.gov

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