July 28, 2023

94: The Discussion Surrounding Lecanemab's Approval for Alzheimer Disease

47 minutes

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

This episode features an in-depth dive into the recent approval of lecanemab (Leqembi; Eisai) for Alzheimer disease and the ongoing debate about its potential benefit, the amyloid-targeting class of medicines, and the communication of data. Featured in this episode is commentary from 2 experts in neurology clinical care: Anton P. Porsteinsson, MD, the William B. and Sheila Konar Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and Medicine, and the director of the Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research and Education Program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; and Alberto Espay, MD, PhD, the division director and Research Endowed Chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, and a professor of clinical neurology and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

Looking for more Alzheimer disease discussion? Check out the NeurologyLive® dementia and Alzheimer disease clinical focus page.

Episode Breakdown:

1:45 – Introduction and main findings

3:15 – Espay, with his perspective on the downstream effects of the approval

10:10 – Porsteinsson, with his perspective on the downstream effects of the approval

18:30 – Secondary end points and safety data

20:05 – Porsteinsson, on the recent progress in AD

23:05 – Espay, on contextualizing the effect of amyloid clearance

26:00 – Porsteinsson, on the logistics of the approval

34:20 – Espay, on the lingering unanswered questions

38:20 – Espay, on the communication of data to the public around the amyloid therapies

42:25 – Porsteinsson, on how things evolve going forward

This episode is brought to you by Medical World News, a streaming channel from MJH Life Sciences®. Check out new content and shows every day, only at medicalworldnews.com.

The stories and studies featured in this week's show, as well as additional expert interviews on lecanemab, can be found here:

Show notes:

Alberto Espay’s lecanemab data infographic

Lecanemab CLARITY data

Donanameb TRAILBLAZER data

Additional reading and coverage:

FDA Grants Traditional Approval to Lecanemab as Therapy for Early-Stage Alzheimer Disease

Medicare Expands Coverage for Fully Approved Alzheimer Agent Lecanemab

Lecanemab to be Tested in Preclinical Alzheimer Disease

Therapeutics Aim at Modifying Alzheimer Disease

Additional expert interviews:

David Bates, PhD: Downstream Impacts of Lecanemab on Alzheimer Disease, Future Drug Development

Howard Fillit, MD: Lecanemab’s Impact on Care and Diagnosis and the Future of Alzheimer Disease Treatment

Nicole Fowler, PhD, MHSA: Preparing Primary Care Centers for New Wave of Alzheimer Agents

Ronald C. Petersen, MD, PhD: Lessons Learned About Clinically Meaningful Benefit from Antiamyloid Trials

Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC: Significance of Expanding Antiamyloid Therapy Class, Toolbox to Treat Alzheimer

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

REFERENCES

1. FDA Converts Novel Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment to Traditional Approval. FDA. News release. July 6, 2023. Accessed July 27, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-converts-novel-alzheimers-disease-treatment-traditional-approval

2. van Dyck CH, Swanson CJ, Aisen P, et al. Lecanemab in early Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2023;388:9-21. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2212948

3. Sims JR, Zimmer JA, Evans CD, et al. Donanemab in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. Published online July 17, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.13239

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