After sixteen long years without having any truly viable treatment options for Alzheimer’s, there is some hope on the horizon, in a stunning reversal regarding the previously-rejected antibody therapy, aducanumab. The most recent research shows that large quantities of the medication do, actually, lessen cognitive decline at the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s.
As stated by Rebecca Edelmayer, director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, “It could be a game-changer for the field. It could be one of the first disease-modifying therapies approved for Alzheimer’s disease.”
Biogen, the maker of aducanumab, has discovered noticeable benefits for dementia patients in a number of areas: activities of daily living, memory, language, and orientation. Biogen stated its plans to pursue regulatory approval in the United States, with a long range aim of releasing the medication internationally.
With a forecasted request for approval by the FDA as soon as early 2020, the medication is slated to potentially become the first treatment method to actually reduce the clinical decline of Alzheimer’s. Likewise, it will open doors to other treatment options that impact amyloid beta plaques, connecting other trials that target the immune system, inflammation, blood vessels, and synaptic cell health. As discovering the most effective treatment of the disease is a challenging endeavor, it’s expected that a mixture of these treatments will be essential, according to Edelmayer.
The next challenge? Convincing the FDA to approve the medication after earlier failed trials. If approved, aducanumab will first be provided to individuals who had signed up for previous clinical trials, and hopefully, soon offered to other individuals dealing with the problems of Alzheimer’s as well.
For the nearly six million senior Americans battling Alzheimer’s (and that figure is expected to more than double in the next 30 years), and the loved ones who take care of them, these current findings could very well be life-changing, as there are currently only minimally effective symptom-management medications available. Even as we wait for a cure, we at Generations at Home are ready to help dementia patients through highly skilled, trained, and qualified caregivers who utilize creative, therapeutic approaches that focus on each person’s distinct strengths and making sure that each individual is living to the fullest.
For more information regarding highly effective Alzheimer’s care that helps strengthen quality of life in the comfort of home, reach out to the dementia care professionals at Generations at Home at 727-940-3414 and ask for an in-home assessment or additional useful resources.
