Japanese drug maker
The new drug, lecanemab, removes a type of protein called amyloid beta, considered the cause of the disease. The protein accumulates inside the brain and destroys nerve cells, according to
The company said it aims to win approval for the drug in
If approved, it will be the first Alzheimer's drug in
"We hope it will bring a positive impact on society, such as easing the burden on caretakers,"
In the clinical trial, the drug curbed the progression of symptoms, such as worsening memory and impairment in judgment, by 27 percent compared with a placebo,
The trial was conducted on about 1,800 patients with early symptoms in
Among those who were administered the drug, 12 to 17 percent showed side effects, such as brain edema and bleeding, but most of those were asymptomatic or only suffered temporary symptoms,
Worldwide, 55 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, according to the
The announcement by
==Kyodo
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