Recently, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved the marketing of the anti-amyloid beta antibody drug lecanemab subcutaneous auto-injector pen for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease. This is the first and currently only anti-amyloid therapy in China that can be administered at home, making China the second country globally to approve this subcutaneous formulation. The at-home injection product is expected to be officially launched by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Lecanemab, jointly developed by Eisai and Biogen, is an anti-amyloid beta protofibril antibody that slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease by clearing beta-amyloid deposits in the brain. Previously, the intravenous infusion formulation of lecanemab was already approved in China, requiring patients to regularly visit hospitals for infusion treatment. The newly approved subcutaneous auto-injector pen allows patients to self-inject at home, significantly improving medication convenience and patient adherence.
Patients now have two administration route options: they can choose intravenous infusion at the hospital or subcutaneous injection at home. The approval of the subcutaneous injector pen marks an important step in Alzheimer's disease treatment from "hospital-centered" to "home-based" care, and is expected to significantly reduce patient treatment burden and healthcare resource pressure. Alzheimer's disease is a major health challenge facing the global aging society, with approximately 10 million Alzheimer's patients in China. As early diagnosis rates improve and the accessibility of innovative therapies increases, the market demand for anti-amyloid therapies is growing rapidly.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News / NMPA | http://m.toutiao.com/group/7683029110859317806/