Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's Drug Works, but Safety Is an Issue
BarronsMay 03, 2023
Eli Lilly, the drug developer behind the experimental Alzheimer's drug "donanemab," has announced that the drug slowed patients' cognitive decline by as much as 35% when compared to taking a placebo during clinical trials.
In its Wednesday announcement, the company said the late-stage study of the drug also showed a 40% reduction in a decline of a patient's ability to perform daily life functions over the last 12 months of the study.
The main thing to know about this trial is that three people died while participating. There are still great risks associated with donanemab, and even if it receives FDA approval, doctors are going to be reticent about prescribing it. Also, Medicare might not cover it. There might be better alternatives from other drug makers, and there's still a long way to go until it's time to celebrate victory against this horrific disease.
Drug makers are on the right path toward a cure for Alzheimer’s and this trial is a major milestone in pursuit of a strategy to attack the disease. Some patients will benefit from it if they’re willing to take the risk, while others will benefit down the road when the drug makers build off their findings in the donanemab trial. It seems that there is a good reason for hope.