Lecanemab has recently been making headlines as the only drug on the market to prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease, as all other solutions currently available for patients only tackle symptoms.
This follows its recent approval in a number of countries worldwide, including the UK, the US, Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea and Israel.
However, the therapeutic has experienced a blow, as the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has decided not to pursue the inclusion of lecanemab onto the NHS' list of available medicines.
This decision was based on the restricted efficacy of the drug, as well as the significant and potentially life-threatening side effects that are associated with its use.
Therefore, the regulator did not consider the drug to be beneficial enough to account for the costs associated with patient monitoring and the risk of death to the user population.
This follows the slow uptake of the drug in the US, with patients having to pay approximately £20,000 per year to receive it.
Although lecanemab will not be available on the NHS, patients with Alzheimer's can access the therapeutic through private healthcare, as it has been fully approved for use by the UK's MHRA.
Hilary Evans-Newton, CEO of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Today’s news is bittersweet for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a remarkable achievement that science is now delivering licensed treatments that can slow down the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, rather than just alleviating its symptoms. However, it's clear that the UK health system isn't yet ready to embrance this new wave of Alzheimer's drugs."
“It means that, as things stand, people in the early stages of the disease will be denied access to lecanemab through the NHS, and it will only be available to those who can pay privately.”
