In the past few years pharmaceutical companies have developed a string of new Alzheimer’s drugs called anti-amyloids, which target amyloid plaques in patients’ brains. These plaques are one of the key biomarkers of the disease.
The first of these drugs, Aduhelm, was approved by the FDA in 2021 amid enormous controversy. The FDA approved the drug despite little evidence that it actually slowed cognitive decline in patients. Biogen, the maker of Aduhelm, pulled the plug on further research or sales of the drug last month.
In January 2023 The FDA approved another anti-amyloid medication from Biogen, lecanemab, sold under the brand name Leqembi. This time, there was much stronger evidence. Clinical trial results showed that the drug showed a modest improvement in cognitive decline in the early phases of the disease. But the drug comes with risks, including brain swelling and bleeding.
Most recently, at the beginning of March, the FDA delayed approval of another anti-amyloid drug, donanemab, created by Eli Lilly. The FDA said it will be conducting an additional review to further scrutinize the study design and efficacy data.
From the outside looking in, these Alzheimer’s drugs appear to be mired in controversy. How well do they actually work? And why has there been so much back and forth with the FDA?
To answer those questions and more, guest host Arielle Duhaime-Ross talks with Dr. Jason Karlawish, professor of medicine, medical ethics and health policy, and neurology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, and co-director of the Penn Memory Center.
Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.
Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
Cloning for Conservation, Cubesats, Queer Ecology, Henry Petroski. June 30, 2023, Part 2
Hum Of The Universe, Cephalopod Event In Miami. June 30, 2023, Part 1
Social Media Chaos, Remembering Whale Song Scientist Roger Payne. June 23, 2023, Part 2
Cephalopod Week Salutes See-Thru Squid, Hyperbole In Science Publishing, Art and the Brain, Rover Competition. June 23, 2023, Part 1
Avian Flu, Curly Hair. June 16, 2023, Part 2
Science Books For Summer Reading. June 16, 2023, Part 1
Living Underwater For 100 Days, Refineries’ Excess Emissions, Owl Facts. June 9, 2023, Part 2
Wildfire Smoke, Jurassic Park Reflection, Mosquito DNA Editing. June 9, 2023, Part 1
Dwarf Tomatoes, Saguaro Cactus, Sonoran Desert. June 2, 2023, Part 2
Rewilding, Allergy Season, Sharing Science Rejections. June 2, 2023, Part 1
Zoonomia Genetics Project, Telomeres, Mutter Museum. May 26, 2023, Part 1
Experiencing Pain, Grief and the Cosmos, Ivory-Billed Controversy. May 26, 2023, Part 2
Weight and Health Myths, A Corvid Invasion. May 19, 2023, Part 1
The B Broadcast: Bees, Beans, Bears, and Butterflies. May 19, 2023, Part 2
Star Trek Science, Listening to Pando. May 12, 2023, Part 2
US COVID Health Emergency Ends. May 12, 2023, Part 1
Antibiotic Resistance, Space Launches and the Environment, Phage Therapy. May 5, 2023, Part 2
Why Rats Love Cities, Science Of Saliva And Taste. May 5, 2023, Part 1
Personifying AI, The Reading Brain, Environmental Sampling Via Bees. April 28, 2023, Part 2
History And Science Of Chickens, Climate Activism, Pipeline Movie. April 28, 2023, Part 1
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL