The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted traditional approval for Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) 100mg/mL injection to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in adults.

With the approval of the supplemental biologics licence application (sBLA), Leqembi becomes the first therapy to slow disease progression rate and cognitive and functional decline in AD patients.

This development is based on findings from the Phase III portion of Eisai’s Clarity AD clinical trial.

Trial data showed that the product met the Leqembi primary endpoint and all crucial secondary endpoints, and also demonstrated clinical benefit.

In January 2023, the regulatory agency granted accelerated approval for Leqembi.

Leqembi is a humanised immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody that targets aggregated soluble (protofibril) and amyloid beta’s (Aβ) insoluble forms.

Eisai CEO Haruo Naito stated: “The FDA approved Leqembi under the traditional approval pathway, making Leqembi the first and only approved anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s disease treatment shown to reduce the rate of disease progression and to slow cognitive impairment in the early and mild dementia stages of the disease.

“As a research and development-focused company based on our human health care concept, we are proud that the results of Eisai’s AD research over the past 40 years have been recognised and delivered to people living with this disease in the United States.”

Reference：https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/fda-approval-eisai-alzheimers/