Posted on: December 27, 2019
After sixteen very long years with no truly viable treatment plans for Alzheimer’s, there’s some optimism on the horizon, in a stunning reversal from the formerly-rejected antibody therapy, aducanumab. The most recent research uncovers that large quantities of this medication do, in fact, lessen cognitive decline at the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s.
As stated by Rebecca Edelmayer, director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, “It could be a game-changer for the field. It could be one of the first disease-modifying therapies approved for Alzheimer’s disease.”
Biogen, the maker of aducanumab, estimates noticeable benefits for dementia patients in a number of areas: activities of day to day living, memory, language, and orientation. Biogen unveiled its plans to obtain regulatory approval in the U.S., with a longer-term aim of introducing the medication throughout the world.
With an estimated request for approval by the FDA as quickly as early 2020, the drug is slated to possibly end up becoming the first treatment option to actually lessen the clinical decline of Alzheimer’s. Likewise, it will probably open doors to many other treatment options that impact amyloid beta plaques, connecting other trials that focus on the immune system, inflammation, blood vessels, and synaptic cell health. As searching for the most beneficial treatments for the disease is a complex endeavor, it’s very likely that a mixture of these approaches will likely be necessary, according to Edelmayer.
The next challenge? Convincing the FDA to approve the drug after earlier unsuccessful trials. If approved, aducanumab will first be provided to individuals who had enrolled in earlier trials, and hopefully, soon accessible to other individuals dealing with the problems of Alzheimer’s as well.
When it comes to the almost 6 million senior Americans battling Alzheimer’s (and that figure is anticipated to more than double during the next three decades), along with the loved ones who take care of them, these most recent findings could be life-changing, as there are currently just minimally successful symptom-management medications available. Even as we wait for a new Alzheimer’s medication that’s truly effective, we at Alivity Care Advocates are able to help dementia patients and their family caregivers through professional care management and coordination services, making certain each person is living life to the fullest.