As promising as these drugs are, theyre not always easy to access.
That could soon change.
If patients could inject these drugs subcutaneously, they could administer them at home.
Photo Illustration by Amelia Manley for Verywell Health; Getty Images
This would give patients and families their time back.
Thetrial foundthat the subcutaneous injection led to more plaque clearance and lower systemic side effects than IV infusions.
The injection process is expected to take just 15 seconds, on average.
Eisai said its still in discussion with the FDA about how long the IV initiation phase should last.
Budson said his health center in Boston provides tertiary care for all of New England.
There are people who just cant take the time out of their life.
The drug, called remternetug, is a monoclonal antibody that works by clearing amyloid plaques in the brain.
Lilly is testing both subcutaneous injections and intravenous infusions, according to a company spokesperson.
The rare genetic condition causes people to develop the disease early on, typically in their 30s to 50s.
The participants will take a subcutaneous injection of the drug four times a year for two years.
In clinical trials for intravenous infusions of Leqembi, about 25% of participants experienced infusion-related reactions.
Such amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) can occur when someone uses a drug designed to clear amyloid.
Most ARIA are asymptomatic or cause mild symptoms, but some ARIA require hospitalization and special treatment.
Patients must undergo periodic MRI scans to check for ARIA before receiving Leqembi or Kisunla.
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis: Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center.Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer web link.
2023;146(11):4414-4424. doi:10.1093/brain/awad188
