Eisai and Biogen win FDA approval for latest Alzheimer's drug

U.S. authorization of Leqembi follows setbacks with Aduhelm

An Alzheimer's patient receives an intravenous infusion of Aduhelm at a hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Eisai's follow-up dementia drug lecanemab is also administered intravenously. © Reuters

AYA ONISHI and KAORI YOSHIDA, Nikkei staff writers

January 7, 2023 04:25 JST

TOKYO/NEW YORK -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a treatment for Alzheimer's disease developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and American partner Biogen.

Clinical trials showed that lecanemab, which will be marketed as Leqembi, slows cognitive decline for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's.