FDA Approves Alzheimer’s Treatment by Biogen and Eisai

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Biogen and Eisai’s new Alzheimer’s drug, lecanemab. The drug is the first of its kind because it slowed cognitive decline in patients, a sticking point with the ill-fated Aduhelm that was pulled from the market last year. However, it is unclear whether payers will cover the therapy, which looks to be expensive.

According to Ryan Cross and Jonathan Saltzman, “The drug, called lecanemab during clinical trials, will be marketed as Leqembi. Its price was not immediately disclosed by the companies. Biogen and Eisai haven’t disclosed a price yet, but Eisai previously said it believes the drug could be considered cost-effective if priced between $9,250 and $35,600 per year. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, an influential Boston drug-pricing watchdog, said it would be considered cost-effective in a lower range of $8,500 to $20,600.”

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(Source: Boston Globe, January 6^th, 2022)