Alzheimer’s drug hailed as momentous breakthrough

The first drug to slow the destruction of the brain by Alzheimer’s has been heralded as momentous.

 

The research breakthrough ends many years of failure and shows a new era of drugs to treat the disease is possible.

 

Yet the drug, lecanemab, has only a small effect and its impact on peoples’ daily lives is debated.  The drug also works in the early stages of the disease, so most would miss out without a revolution in detecting it.

 

Lecanemab attacks the sticky gunge, beta amyloid, that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

 

Professor John Hardy, one of the world’s leading researchers behind the whole idea of targeting amyloid 30 years ago, said the findings were “historic” and was optimistic “we’re seeing the beginning of Alzheimer’s therapies”.  Professor Tara Spires-Jones of the University of Edinburgh, said the results were “a big deal because we’ve had a 100% failure rate for a long time”.

 

People with Alzheimer’s are currently given other drugs to help manage their symptoms, but none change the course of the disease.

 

Lecanemab is an antibody, like those the body makes to attack viruses or bacteria, that has been engineered to tell the immune system to clear amyloid from the brain.

 

Professor Spires-Jones went on to say “I’m very excited we’re on the cusp of understanding enough to get a hold of the problem and e should have something that will make a bigger difference in a decade or so.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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