Next-Gen Alzheimer’s Drugs Extend Independent Living By Months

The next-generation drugs lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (brand name Kisunla) that are used for Alzheimer’s disease with mild dementia symptoms may extend the user’s ability to live independently by more than six months. A typical person with very mild symptoms could expect to live independently for another 29 months; the window for living independently lasted 39 months with lecanemab and 37 months with donanemab.

Lecanemab and donanemab are antibody therapies that clear plaque-causing amyloid proteins from the brain. Clinical trials indicated that both drugs slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which extended the users’ ability . . .