New drug licensed for Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s Research UK has welcomed news that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has upheld appeals to review its final guidance to the NHS on the use of two new Alzheimer’s medicines.

Eisai and Eli Lilly, the manufacturers of lecanemab and donanemab, argued that NICE had failed to properly account for the wider impact of the treatments, including the heavy burden on unpaid carers. The manufacturers had appealed last year’s decision by NICE that the medicines were too expensive to provide on the NHS in England and Wales.

The decision now means the treatments will return to a NICE committee for further consideration.

Commenting on the news, David Thomas, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“Today’s ruling is an opportunity for NICE to consider the real cost of Alzheimer’s on people and their families, and we welcome the decision to look again at whether new medicines could be provided on the NHS.

“Dementia places a huge and often hidden burden on families, with unpaid care costing the economy over £20bn a year. Research has delivered new treatments with the potential to provide people with valuable extra months of independence, lessening the burden on carers. While these treatments offer modest benefits and can cause serious side effects, they provide the foundation for a future where dementia becomes a treatable condition. Now we need NICE to look again at how these medicines could benefit both people with early Alzheimer’s and their carers.

“Growing evidence from the use of these medicines shows they can slow the progression of the disease. Alzheimer’s Research UK is calling on the government to give dementia the same political determination that transformed cancer care. We urgently need investment and a clear UK‑wide plan so new treatments can be assessed in the NHS and reach the people who stand to benefit.”