FDA Approves Groundbreaking Alzheimer's Treatment Donanemab by Eli Lilly

Money | July 2, 2024, 7:34 p.m.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new Alzheimer's treatment called donanemab, developed by Eli Lilly. Branded as Kisunla, this drug is the third addition to a new class of medications aimed at slowing the brain's decline in patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Despite previous setbacks, donanemab was finally approved following promising clinical trial results. This treatment works by targeting and removing amyloid plaques in the brain, a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease. Patients receive intravenous infusions every four weeks, with some able to stop treatment after six months based on brain scans. Eli Lilly plans to launch the drug with a list price of $32,000 for 12 months of treatment. While it has shown significant effectiveness in slowing cognitive decline, there are risks of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities and infusion reactions associated with donanemab.