The FDA or the United States Food and Drug Administration has in nearly 20 years approved the first new medicine to be used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. The underlying cause of Alzheimer’s will be targeted by Biogen’s aducanumab. This drug was approved on Monday this week. This can be used in the early phases of treatment. This drug was approved but an advisory committee of the FDA cautioned that there was not enough evidence to support its effectiveness.
This new drug has been developed by Biogen which is an American company and Eisai which is a Japanese firm.
Aducanumab works by focusing on the plagues in our brain that are effective in cognition. This medicine will work on the process of the disease and not just treat symptoms like dementia.
The FDA regulators have revealed that clinical trials unraveled a lot of uncertainties with relation to the clinical benefits. Biogen has been instructed to conduct more trials but the process is very time-consuming and will take a long time.
The patients don’t have to wait till the trials are conducted and results arrived at. They can start taking the medication. Alzheimer’s is a widely prevalent disease in America. Over 6 million Americans are afflicted with this disease.
In Japan 60-70 percent of the population suffers from Alzheimer’s and over 6 million suffer from dementia. It is estimated that as the population grows older the diseases will rise in number.
It is said that Alzheimer’s develops after the buildup of toxic proteins amyloid-b and tau in our brains.
This progressive disease gradually destroys vital mental functions and memory. The brain cells and the connections slowly degenerate and die. It is said that treatment may help but this condition cannot be fully cured.
