Medicare Considering National Coverage For Aduhelm & Monoclonal Antibodies To Treat Alzheimer’s Disease

On July 12, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) opened a national coverage decision (NCD) analysis on monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Biogen’s Aduhelm is a monoclonal antibody directed against beta amyloid to reduce amyloid accumulations. Medicare does not currently have a NCD policy on Aduhelm. The request to open the NCD analysis was generated internally, by CMS, and not by any outside stakeholders or the drug manufacturer, Biogen.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aduhelm on June 21, 2021, with an indication for treatment of Alzheimer’s . . .