CHICAGO, Aug. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Alzheimer’s Association welcomes today’s decision by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Leqembi® (lecanemab) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. However, while celebrating this milestone – the first disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s approved in the UK – the decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to deny access through the National Health Service (NHS) will worsen health inequalities around the world.
Joanne Pike, DrPH, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Association, said: “Today is a day of mixed emotions for many people in the UK. “Today’s approval decision could give people living with this fatal and devastating disease more time, but this is only possible if people have access to this treatment.”
In its decision, the MHRA confirms what the scientific community and many other health regulators have known for a long time: leqemab is safe, effective and beneficial for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The UK joins the US, China, South Korea, Israel, Hong Kong and Japan in approving Leqembi.
“It is disconcerting that NICE has decided to deny its taxpayers a treatment option. It is inconsistent with the scientific evidence, it is at odds with the decisions of other regulatory agencies, including here in the United States, and it is simply wrong,” Pike said. “We urge NICE to immediately change its decision.”
Leqembi works by targeting amyloid beta, the main component of amyloid plaques, which are the hallmark of the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Well-conducted clinical trials clearly demonstrate that removing amyloid from the brain provides a measurable and significant benefit in people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“Despite the setback due to lack of coverage, today’s approval is a milestone for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease that should be celebrated. However, more therapies that target the disease from all angles are needed,” Pike added. “We have just learned of many exciting advances in therapies and diagnostic tools for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in a International Conference of the Alzheimer’s Association® (AAIC®) has broken all records, and we know that the future of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia treatment is bright.”
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is a global voluntary organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way in ending Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementias – by accelerating global research, promoting risk reduction and early detection, and optimizing the quality of care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s or any other dementia®. Visit the site alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
