Alzheimer's Treatment Breakthroughs

Recent clinical trials have marked a turning point in Alzheimer's disease treatment, with several new drugs demonstrating the ability to slow cognitive decline. These developments reflect a growing arsenal of tools that could fundamentally reshape Alzheimer's care.

Anti-Amyloid Therapies

  • Donanemab (Kisunla): Shows 30-35% reduction in disease progression during early stages, reducing amyloid plaques by 84% over 18 months. Offers patients up to 10 months of extended independent living.
  • Lecanemab (Leqembi): Similar efficacy to donanemab, with European regulators approving it after initial doubts about its benefits.

Both donanemab and lecanemab have received regulatory approvals in both the U.S. and Europe, signaling growing global access to these treatments.

Repurposed Medications

  • Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): These HIV drugs are now linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's, potentially preventing up to 1 million new cases annually.
  • GLP-1 receptor agonists: Diabetes medications like semaglutide and liraglutide are under investigation for their neuroprotective benefits.

Emerging Therapies

  • ALZ-801: An oral drug specifically targeting APOE4 carriers has entered Phase 3 trials with promising results.
  • Gene and cell therapies: Experimental treatments like Lomecel-B and SNK01 are showing early potential in reducing cognitive decline.
  • Non-invasive approaches: Techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation are demonstrating benefits in early trials.

References

  1. Scripps News. (2024, January 31). FDA approves Alzheimer's drug that may slow memory decline in those with disease https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/health-care/fda-approves-alzheimers-drug-shown-to-slow-decline-in-memory-cognition-in-those-with-the-disease
  2. MedPath. (2025, February 13). New analysis shows next-gen Alzheimer's drugs add 8–10 months of independent living https://trial.medpath.com/news/8fa0e753d710fdcc/new-analysis-shows-next-gen-alzheimer-s-drugs-add-8-10-months-of-independent-living
  3. AP News. (2025, April 15). European regulators OK Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi after initial doubts. https://apnews.com/article/ea22a1f7d4d4e69dfc2a2c94412a6f35
  4. New York Post. (2025, May 12). Doctors discover drug already on the market could prevent 1M new cases of Alzheimer's a year. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2025/05/12/health/drug-could-prevent-1m-new-alzheimers-cases-a-year-study/
  5. Alzheimer's Association. (2024). Alzheimer's research advances at AAIC 2024. https://aaic.alz.org/releases-2024/highlights-aaic-2024.asp
  6. MedPath. (2025, February 5). Alzheon to present Phase 3 data for novel ApoE4-targeted Alzheimer's pill in April 2025 https://trial.medpath.com/news/9da97981201d78c5/alzheon-to-present-phase-3-data-for-novel-apoe4-targeted-alzheimer-s-pill-in-april-2025
  7. MedPath. (2024, November 30). Alzheimer's disease: Cell and gene therapy advances in 2024 https://trial.medpath.com/news/6e186ced3c6f79d9/alzheimer-disease-awareness-month-2024-looking-back-at-a-year-of-progress-in-cell-and
  8. BrightFocus Foundation. (2024, October 15). Breaking news dispatch: A non-invasive Alzheimer's treatment, early detection, and more. https://www.brightfocus.org/news/breaking-news-dispatch-a-non-invasive-alzheimers-treatment-early-detection-and-more