"Promising Breakthroughs in Alzheimer's Treatment: Donanemab and Potential New Drug Approvals"

Donanemab, a new Alzheimer's drug expected to be approved by the FDA, has shown promising results in slowing cognitive decline in patients with mild disease. However, caution is urged due to potential serious side effects, and concerns have been raised over the lack of diversity in trials and the anticipated high cost of treatment. The drug, a monoclonal antibody, targets brain plaques made of amyloid protein and disrupts cell function. It demonstrated a 35% slowdown in cognitive decline and a 40% lower risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Donanemab was found to be more effective at removing amyloid plaques compared to other Alzheimer's drugs, but its efficacy was limited to patients with low-to-intermediate levels of tau. Serious side effects, including brain swelling and microbleeds, were observed in some patients, particularly those with the APOE4 gene. The lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the trials raises ethical concerns, and the high cost of the drug may limit its accessibility.