The Discussion Surrounding Lecanemab's Approval for Alzheimer Disease

Episode 94,   Jul 28, 2023, 10:00 AM

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

This episode features an in-depth dive into the recent approval of lecanemab (Leqembi; Eisai) for Alzheimer disease and the ongoing debate about its potential benefit, the amyloid-targeting class of medicines, and the communication of data. Featured in this episode is commentary from 2 experts in neurology clinical care: Anton P. Porsteinsson, MD, the William B. and Sheila Konar Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and Medicine, and the director of the Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research and Education Program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; and Alberto Espay, MD, PhD, the division director and Research Endowed Chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, and a professor of clinical neurology and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

Looking for more Alzheimer disease discussion? Check out the NeurologyLive® dementia and Alzheimer disease clinical focus page.

Episode Breakdown:
  • 1:45 – Introduction and main findings
  • 3:15 – Espay, with his perspective on the downstream effects of the approval
  • 10:10 – Porsteinsson, with his perspective on the downstream effects of the approval
  • 18:30 – Secondary end points and safety data
  • 20:05 – Porsteinsson, on the recent progress in AD
  • 23:05 – Espay, on contextualizing the effect of amyloid clearance
  • 26:00 – Porsteinsson, on the logistics of the approval
  • 34:20 – Espay, on the lingering unanswered questions
  • 38:20 – Espay, on the communication of data to the public around the amyloid therapies
  • 42:25 – Porsteinsson, on how things evolve going forward

This episode is brought to you by Medical World News, a streaming channel from MJH Life Sciences®. Check out new content and shows every day, only at medicalworldnews.com.

The stories and studies featured in this week's show, as well as additional expert interviews on lecanemab, can be found here:

Show notes:
Additional reading and coverage:
Additional expert interviews:

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REFERENCES
1. FDA Converts Novel Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment to Traditional Approval. FDA. News release. July 6, 2023. Accessed July 27, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-converts-novel-alzheimers-disease-treatment-traditional-approval
2. van Dyck CH, Swanson CJ, Aisen P, et al. Lecanemab in early Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2023;388:9-21. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2212948
3. Sims JR, Zimmer JA, Evans CD, et al. Donanemab in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. Published online July 17, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.13239