$26,500 per year per patient
Administered intravenously every two weeks, it is developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai with the American Biogen. Its price was set at $26,500 per year per patient.
The federal Medicare health coverage system, intended for people over 65, has so far only covered it if it was taken in the context of clinical trials, de facto greatly limiting its access. With full FDA clearance, it will now be “broadly” covered, said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, head of the Medicare governing body.
However, patients will still have to pay part of the cost out of pocket (20%, or several thousand dollars).
Reduction of cognitive decline
Leqembi is part of a new generation of treatments targeting a protein called beta-amyloid, which forms plaques in the brains of sick patients.
This drug was the first to clearly demonstrate a reduction in cognitive decline (by 27%) in a clinical trial. Without treating patients, it can help slow the progression of the disease a little.
“This treatment, although not a cure, can help give people more time […] to maintain their independence and do the things they love,” said Joanne Pike, president of the Alzheimer Association.
2023-07-07 04:53:30
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