In a blow to those affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has turned down the use of a wonder drug that could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. The drug, called lecanemab and developed by pharmaceutical company Eisai under the brand name Leqembi, has been shown to slow down the onset of the disease by 27%. However, despite being deemed safe and effective by the UK medicines regulator, the drug has been rejected for NHS use due to its significant cost.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) stated that the benefits of lecanemab are “just too small to justify the significant cost to the NHS”. This decision means that patients with early stage Alzheimer’s will not have access to the drug through the health service, and it will only be available to those who can afford to pay for it privately.
Lecanemab works as a targeted antibody treatment that binds to amyloid, a protein that accumulates in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s. By clearing this protein build-up, the drug aims to slow cognitive decline. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved lecanemab for use in Great Britain, making it the first treatment of its kind to be licensed for use.
Despite the potential benefits of lecanemab in slowing cognitive decline by several months, Nice raised concerns about the lack of evidence on its long-term effects and the intensive nature of the treatment, which requires regular hospital visits and monitoring by skilled staff. A public consultation on Nice’s draft guidance regarding the drug will close on September 20.
The rejection of lecanemab by the NHS in England echoes a similar decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which cited concerns about the drug’s side effects and its limited impact on delaying cognitive decline. The availability of such treatments highlights a new era in Alzheimer’s care, with the potential to significantly impact patients’ quality of life.
While the development of drugs like lecanemab represents a major advancement in Alzheimer’s treatment, the challenge lies in ensuring equitable access to these innovative therapies. The debate around the cost and value of such treatments underscores the complexity of balancing healthcare priorities with financial constraints. As the landscape of Alzheimer’s care continues to evolve, discussions around drug access, affordability, and effectiveness will remain at the forefront of healthcare decision-making.