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hree Questions with Emory’s Dr. Chad Hales
by gpbdigital
Dr. Chad Hales is Georgia Memory Net’s Memory Assessment Clinic Core Lead. We asked him about new treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease that may be available in Georgia soon.
Can you tell us about lecanemab?
Lecanemab is a new Alzheimer’s disease infusion that may help slow the rate of cognitive decline based on early results of a large clinical trial. We are expecting the FDA and Medicare to discuss whether the medication should be approved and covered by insurance as we get into 2023. The medication may help patients who have very mild memory symptoms and confirmation of Alzheimer’s disease changes in the brain. Patients who have more significant memory problems as well as other exclusionary criteria (like prior brain bleeding, certain blood thinning medications, other significant medical conditions) will not be eligible.
enrolling, is testing whether or not lecanemab will prevent the onset of symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. This is an incredible opportunity for those who have specific genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease because it is using lecanemab, which may slow the rate of cognitive decline.
What should someone who thinks they or a loved one might have Alzheimer’s or a related dementia do next?
What new opportunities do you foresee for the treatment of Alzheimer’s in the near future?
The most important next step for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics is prevention. New therapies like lecanemab may work even better if given before memory symptoms start. The AHEAD 3-45 clinical trial, currently
In order to treat memory problems, you must know precisely why the brain cells are not working so that the correct treatment can be started. This highlights why it is important to speak with your medical provider at the first sign of any memory concerns to see if additional workup or referral to the Georgia Memory Net is a good next step. As new disease modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease become available, we suspect that the earlier you start the medicines the more likely the medicines will provide benefit.
