Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's Drug Slows Disease Progression By 35%; More When Taken Early
Axios: Alzheimer’s Drug Slows Cognitive Decline By 60% In Early-Stage Patients, Study Shows
An experimental Alzheimer's drug from Eli Lilly was shown effective in slowing the disease's progression by about a third — and more so when it was administered as early as possible, when patients only suffered mild cognitive impairment. Driving the news: The drug giant on Monday released full clinical trial results for its treatment donanemab, which could become the second FDA-approved drug of its kind to receive full approval, and accompanying Medicare coverage. (González, 7/18)
Reuters: Lilly Drug Slows Alzheimer's By 60% For Mildly Impaired Patients In Trial
Lilly's study showed that brain swelling, a known side effect of amyloid-clearing antibodies, occurred in more than 40% of patients with a genetic predisposition to develop Alzheimer's. The company had previously reported that 24% of the overall donanemab treatment group had brain swelling. Brain bleeding occurred in 31% of the donanemab group and about 14% of the placebo group. The deaths of three trial patients were linked to the treatment, researchers reported. (Beasley, 7/17)
NPR: Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Donanemab Outperforms Leqembi In Clinical Trial
But experts caution that donanemab is no cure, and that its benefit amounts to only about a seven-month delay in the loss of memory and thinking. "I do think that will make a difference to people," says Dr. Reisa Sperling, who directs the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "But we have to do better." (Hamilton, 7/17)
Amid hope, caution about Alzheimer's drugs' impact on patients —
AP: Second Alzheimer's Drug In Pipeline Can Slow The Disease By A Few Months But With Safety Risk
“Finally there’s some hope, right, that we can talk about,” Lilly’s Dr. John Sims told reporters Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam. “We don’t cure the disease,” he said. “Diabetes doesn’t have a cure either — it doesn’t mean you can’t have very meaningful treatments for patients.” (Neergaard, 7/17)
Fox News: New Dementia Drug 'Has Given Me Hope’: Alzheimer’s Patients Reveal Their Stories
Two Ohio patients who participated in the trials recently spoke to Fox News Digital about how Leqembi has impacted their Alzheimer’s journeys — and changed their lives. Joan Murtaugh, 77, lives in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband, Larry. She first started noticing memory problems nearly seven years ago, just after her 70th birthday. "Timing is everything," her husband, Larry Murtaugh, told Fox News Digital in an interview. "It was Joan who made an appointment at the brain center clinic." (Rudy, 7/18)
Meanwhile, news on where Alzheimer's is prevalent in the U.S. —
The Hill: Alzheimer’s Is Most Prevalent In East, Southeast, According To New Research
Alzheimer’s disease is most prevalent in the east and southeast, according to new research published Monday that seeks to map out the disease on a state and county level. The prevalence of Alzeheimer’s in those regions is closely tied to demographics and age. (Fortinsky, 7/17)
Fox News: Alzheimer’s Disease Is Most Common In These US Counties, New Study Finds
"It's important for us to know where the prevalences are going to be highest, so that we know how to direct resources and educational opportunities for people," said Dr. Percy Griffin. He is director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, Illinois, and shared his thoughts with Fox News Digital in an interview. (Rudy, 7/17)
