FDA Approves New Alzheimer’s Drug Kisunla for Early Stages of Disease

The approval of Eli Lilly’s Kisunla by the FDA for the treatment of mild or early cases of Alzheimer’s disease has provided hope for patients and their families. This marks a significant milestone in the fight against the memory-destroying ailment, as it is only the second drug to be convincingly shown to delay cognitive decline in patients.

The delay in cognitive decline seen with Kisunla and the Japanese drug Leqembi amounts to about seven months, offering a glimmer of hope for patients who have been struggling with the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s. While the benefits of the drug are promising, patients and their families will have to weigh them against potential downsides, such as regular IV infusions and potentially dangerous side effects like brain swelling.

Physicians who treat Alzheimer’s have welcomed the approval of Kisunla, recognizing it as an important step forward after decades of failed experimental treatments. Dr. Suzanne Schindler, a neurologist at Washington University in St. Louis, expressed her excitement about having different options to help her patients, noting the difficulty of watching patients progress until they die.

The approval of Kisunla and Leqembi, both laboratory-made antibodies that target amyloid plaque buildup in the brain, has raised questions about which patients should receive the drugs and how long they might benefit. Despite these uncertainties, the approval of Kisunla is a significant development in the field of Alzheimer’s treatment, offering new hope for patients and their families.