Mild dementia

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced upcoming data presentations and programming at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) annual conference, taking place October 29 - November 1, in Madrid, Spain. The presentations will include updates on new scientific findings from Biogen’s Alzheimer’s portfolio, highlighting data on different aspects of treatment and data examining preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and race. “These data showcase the breadth of our Alzheimer’s disease research and our ongoing commitment to scientific innovation,” said Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H., Head of Development at Biogen. “We remain dedicated to advancing the field of research and treatment for this disease in order to better serve the millions of patients, families and providers in the Alzheimer’s community.” Key Presentations and Symposia: Transitioning from Clinical Trial to Clinical Practice for Long-Term Lecanemab Treatment in Early Alzheimer's Disease: Perspectives from an Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Center, Tuesday, October 29The AHEAD 3-45 Study: Design and Results of a Novel Screening Process for a Preclinical AD Trial, Tuesday, October 29, 6:10 PMDoes the Current Evidence Base Support Continued Dosing with Lecanemab for Early Alzheimer's Disease? Wednesday, October 30, 9:40 AMLecanemab for the Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia Due to Alzheimer's Disease in Adults That Are Apoliprotein E ɛ4 Heterozygotes or Non-Carriers, Wednesday, October 30, 11:20 AMOne-Year Experience on the Use of Lecanemab in Clinical Practice, Wednesday, October 30, 3:30 PMAI-Derived Prognostic Covariates Enhance the Precision of Lecanemab Efficacy Assessments and Optimize Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials, Thursday, October 31, 3:25 PMEstimating by race and APOE Ɛ4 carrier status counts of US adults with subjective cognitive decline with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, Friday, November 1 Virtual Experience on Tau PathologyAt the meeting, Biogen will also host a virtual booth for attendees exploring the role of tau in Alzheimer’s disease, including an interactive medical education e-learning module on knowtau.com which has more information on tau pathophysiology. For more information, please see the CTAD 2024 program and visit the Biogen CTAD virtual booth. About LEQEMBI® (lecanemab)LEQEMBI (lecanemab) is the result of a strategic research alliance between Eisai and BioArctic. LEQEMBI is a humanized immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody directed against aggregated soluble (protofibril) and insoluble forms of amyloid-beta (Aβ). LEQEMBI is an amyloid beta-directed antibody for the treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the U.S. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted LEQEMBI traditional approval on July 6, 2023. LEQEMBI is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment with LEQEMBI should be initiated in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage of disease, the population in which treatment was initiated in clinical trials. Eisai and Biogen have been collaborating on the joint development and commercialization of AD treatments since 2014. Eisai serves as the lead of LEQEMBI development and regulatory submissions globally with both companies co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority. Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information for LEQEMBI, including Boxed WARNING and Medication Guide. About BiogenFounded in 1978, Biogen is a leading biotechnology company that pioneers innovative science to deliver new medicines to transform patient’s lives and to create value for shareholders and our communities. We apply deep understanding of human biology and leverage different modalities to advance first-in-class treatments or therapies that deliver superior outcomes. Our approach is to take bold risks, balanced with return on investment to deliver long-term growth. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.biogen.com. Follow us on social media - Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube. Biogen Safe Harbor This news release contains forward-looking statements, about the potential clinical effects of lecanemab; the potential benefits, safety and efficacy of lecanemab; potential regulatory discussions, submissions and approvals and the timing thereof; the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; the anticipated benefits and potential of Biogen's collaboration arrangements with Eisai; the potential of Biogen's commercial business and pipeline programs; including lecanemab; and risks and uncertainties associated with drug development and commercialization. These statements may be identified by words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "possible," "potential," "will," "would" and other words and terms of similar meaning. Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage clinical studies may not be indicative of full results or results from later stage or larger scale clinical studies and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including without limitation unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data, analysis or results obtained during clinical studies; the occurrence of adverse safety events; risks of unexpected costs or delays; the risk of other unexpected hurdles; regulatory submissions may take longer or be more difficult to complete than expected; regulatory authorities may require additional information or further studies, or may fail or refuse to approve or may delay approval of Biogen's drug candidates; including lecanemab; actual timing and content of submissions to and decisions made by the regulatory authorities regarding lecanemab; uncertainty of success in the development and potential commercialization of the medicine; failure to protect and enforce Biogen's data, intellectual property and other proprietary rights and uncertainties relating to intellectual property claims and challenges; product liability claims; and third party collaboration risks, results of operations and financial condition. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from Biogen's expectations in any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this cautionary statement as well as the risk factors identified in Biogen's most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports Biogen has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Biogen does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. MEDIA CONTACT(S):BiogenJack Cox+ 1 781 464 3260public.affairs@biogen.comINVESTOR CONTACT(S):BiogenStephen Amato+1 781 464 2442IR@biogen.com

Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug Kisunla has secured regulatory approval in the UK, but has been rejected for widespread use in NHS. Credit: Michael Vi via Shutterstock. Eli Lilly’s Kisunla (donanemab) will not yet be made available to Alzheimer’s patients in the UK after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said it doesn’t demonstrate good value for UK’s NHS. On 23 October, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted approval to the therapy for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease in some adults. This follows on from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s green light in July 2024 . However, NICE, which acts as the UK’s price watchdog, said that although the monthly injection slows disease progression by four to seven months, as demonstrated in the Phase III TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 (NCT04437511) study, there are “significant uncertainties about how much benefit donanemab provides, and how long this lasts for after stopping treatment”. It also said that more evidence is needed on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Kisunla. A NICE committee also explained that one-third of patients in the trial had signs of brain swelling or brain bleeding, as determined by amyloid-related imagining abnormalities (ARIAs). Similar concerns were raised in the FDA’s June 2024 advisory committee convened to discuss the drug’s approval. Patients in Lilly’s trial were closely monitored due to this, with MRIs done at four, 12, 24, 52, and 76 weeks in addition to allowing for unscheduled MRIs at investigator discretion. This frequent monitoring can rack up increased costs for payers , as well as bringing up accessibility issues. In the announcement accompanying the decision, Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE said: “The cost-effectiveness estimate for donanemab is 5 to 6 times above what NICE normally considers an acceptable use of NHS resources.” See Also: TreeFrog and University of Pittsburgh probe TLS role in immuno-oncology Be Bio raises $82m to advance haemophilia B gene therapy to Phase I/II trial In the US, Kisunla has a price tag $695.65 per vial. This means that the cost of treatment for a six and 12 month-plan would amount to $12,522 and $32,000, respectively. Kisunla isn’t the only Alzheimer’s therapy on the market. Eisai and Biogen ’s Leqembi (lecanemab) secured UK approval in August 2024, but NICE published a separate draft guidance that said it leans against reimbursing the drug. Leqembi has an annual cost of $26,500 per year in the US, and its infusions are administered every two weeks for a minimum of 18 months. In July, Leqembi faced rejection from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) , while the agency is continuing to review Kisunla. Kisunla and Leqembi are monoclonal antibodies that work by targeting and clearing amyloid beta plaques from the brain, aiming to slow early cognitive decline by reducing toxic buildup linked to the disease. It is estimated that around 70,000 adults in England would have been eligible for treatment with Kisunla, according to NICE.

Great Britain is the third major market where donanemab has received approval Donanemab was first approved in the United States in July 2024 and then approved in Japan in September 2024 INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorization for donanemab, an injection for intravenous infusion every four weeks to treat mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease in eligible adults in Great Britain. Eligible patients are limited to apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) heterozygotes or non-carriers, which is a requirement for the class of currently approved amyloid-targeting therapies in Great Britain. Donanemab is the only amyloid plaque-targeting therapy with evidence to support stopping therapy when amyloid plaques are removed. Great Britain is the third major market to approve donanemab, marketed as Kisunla. "People around the world want and deserve access to treatment options for this disease. This approval in Great Britain is another significant step to ensure patients with Alzheimer's disease can receive treatment with this new class of amyloid targeting therapies, which could give them more time in the early symptomatic stage of the disease to do what matters most to them," said Ilya Yuffa, executive vice president and president of Lilly International, Eli Lilly and Company. "Donanemab demonstrated meaningful results for people with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease by significantly slowing cognitive and functional decline in our TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study." Currently, there are 982,000 people estimated to be living with dementia in the United Kingdom (UK)1, with 50-75% of cases attributable to Alzheimer's disease.2 It is the leading cause of death3 in the UK and an economic cost to society. The total cost of dementia on patients, families and the public sector is estimated to be £42 billion in 2024. Unpaid care is the largest component, with costs per person increasing threefold from mild to severe dementia.4 Amyloid is a protein produced naturally in the body that can clump together to create amyloid plaques. The excessive buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain may lead to memory and thinking issues associated with Alzheimer's disease. Donanemab can help the body remove the excessive buildup of amyloid plaques and slow the cognitive and functional decline that may diminish people's ability to remember information, make meals, manage finances, and maintain independence. "I believe we can improve the standard of care for people living with Alzheimer's disease. Despite years of medical research, until recently, there has been little progress in treatment options for this disease. The authorisation of donanemab for eligible adults is welcome news. Great Britain now needs to rapidly increase National Health Service (NHS) capacity and expertise in diagnostics and treatment facilities to enhance the management of Alzheimer's disease for the benefit of people today and tomorrow," said Professor Cath Mummery, Consultant Neurologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the NIHR Dementia Translational Research Collaboration. About Donanemab Donanemab is an amyloid-targeting treatment for people with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease in adult patients who are apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) heterozygotes or non-carriers. Donanemab can cause serious side effects, including amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), and infusion-related reactions. Donanemab is a fixed dose prescription medicine administered intravenously every four weeks. About TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Study and the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ program TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 (NCT04437511) is a Phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of donanemab in participants with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease) with the presence of confirmed Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. The trial enrolled 1,736 participants, across 8 countries, selected based on cognitive assessments in conjunction with evidence of Alzheimer's disease pathology. The Phase 3 TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Lilly continues to study donanemab in multiple clinical trials, including TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 3, which is focused on reducing risk of progression to symptomatic Alzheimer's disease in participants with preclinical AD; TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5, a registration trial for early symptomatic AD currently enrolling in China and Korea; and TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6, which is focused on expanding our understanding of ARIA through novel MRI sequences, blood-based biomarkers, and different dosing regimens of donanemab. U.S. INDICATION AND SAFETY SUMMARY WITH WARNINGS Kisunla™ (donanemab-azbt), pronounced kih-SUHN-lah, is used to treat adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), which includes mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stage of disease. Warnings - Kisunla can cause Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities or "ARIA." This is a common side effect that does not usually cause any symptoms, but serious symptoms can occur. ARIA can be fatal. ARIA is most commonly seen as temporary swelling in an area or areas of the brain that usually goes away over time. Some people may also have spots of bleeding on the surface of or in the brain and infrequently, larger areas of bleeding in the brain can occur. Although most people do not have symptoms, some people have headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty walking, confusion, vision changes and seizures. Some people have a genetic risk factor (homozygous apolipoprotein E ε4 gene carriers) that may cause an increased risk for ARIA. Talk to your healthcare provider about testing to see if you have this risk factor. You may be at higher risk of developing bleeding in the brain if you take medicines to reduce blood clots from forming (antithrombotic medicines) while receiving Kisunla. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if you are on any medicines that increase this risk. Your healthcare provider will do magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans before and during your treatment with Kisunla to check you for ARIA. You should carry information that you are receiving Kisunla, which can cause ARIA, and that ARIA symptoms can look like stroke symptoms. Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above. There are registries that collect information on treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Your healthcare provider can help you become enrolled in these registries. Warnings - Kisunla can cause serious allergic and infusion-related reactions. Do not receive Kisunla if you have serious allergic reactions to donanemab-azbt or any of the ingredients in Kisunla. Symptoms may include swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or eyelids, problems breathing, hives, chills, irritation of skin, nausea, vomiting, sweating, headache, or chest pain. You will be monitored for at least 30 minutes after you receive Kisunla for any reaction. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms or any reaction during or after a Kisunla infusion. Other common side effects Headache Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any side effects. These are not all of the possible side effects of Kisunla. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or . Before you receive Kisunla, tell your healthcare provider: About all medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as vitamins and herbal supplements. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you have medicines to reduce blood clots from forming (antithrombotic medicines, including aspirin). About all of your medical conditions including if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed. Kisunla has not been studied in people who were pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not known if Kisunla could harm your unborn or breastfeeding baby. How to receive Kisunla Kisunla is a prescription medicine given through an intravenous (IV) infusion using a needle inserted into a vein in your arm. Kisunla is given once every 4 weeks. Each infusion will last about 30 minutes. Learn more For more information about Kisunla, call 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) or go to kisunla.lilly.com. This summary provides basic information about Kisunla. It does not include all information known about this medicine. Read the information given to you about Kisunla. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about Kisunla. Your healthcare provider is the best person to help you decide if Kisunla is right for you. Please see full Prescribing Information including boxed warning for ARIA and Medication Guide for Kisunla. About Lilly Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. P-LLY Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) as a treatment for people with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease, the supply and commercialization of Kisunla, and future readouts, presentations, and other milestones relating to Kisunla and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there is no guarantee that planned or ongoing studies will be completed as planned, that future study results will be consistent with study findings to date, that Kisunla will receive additional regulatory approvals or that Kisunla will be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. References 1. Carnall Farrar (2024). The Economic Impact of Dementia. Available from: [Accessed September 2024] 2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2023). Potential issues and challenges in evaluation of disease-modifying dementia treatments. Available from: [Accessed September 2024] 3. Office for National Statistics (2020). Leading causes of death, UK: 2001 to 2018. Available from: [Accessed September 2024] 4. Carnall Farrar (2024). The Economic Impact of Dementia. Available from: [Accessed September 2024] 5. Kisunla (donanemab-azbt). Prescribing Information. Lilly USA, LLC. 6. Bucci M, Chiotis K, Nordberg A; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimer's disease profiled by fluid and imaging markers: tau PET best predicts cognitive decline. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;26(10):5888-5898. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01263-2. 7. Boccalini C, Ribaldi F, Hristovska I, Arnone A, Peretti DE, Mu L, Scheffler M, Perani D, Frisoni GB, Garibotto V. The impact of tau deposition and hypometabolism on cognitive impairment and longitudinal cognitive decline. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Aug 9. doi: 10.1002/alz.13355. 8. Data on File. Lilly USA, LLC. DOF-DN-US-0053. 9. Data on File. Lilly USA, LLC. DOF-DN-US-0055. 10. Data on File. Lilly USA, LLC. DOF-DN-US-0029. 11. Sims JR, Zimmer JA, Evans CD, et al. Donanemab in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2023;330(6):512-527. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.13239. SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED