With subpar sales for Leqembi, Eisai delays Alzheimers patient goal deadline

Due to subpar sales and the anticipated delay in reaching patients, Eisai, the maker of Leqembi, has had to postpone its deadline for achieving a specific patient goal for this Alzheimer's disease treatment. Leqembi (lecanemab) was approved by the FDA in January 2023 via accelerated approval for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia.

Key facts from the search results include:

1. Leqembi is an amyloid beta-directed antibody, which slows cognitive decline by about 27% in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
2. Leqembi is the second drug to slow Alzheimer's disease progression, following Aduhelm.
3. Due to the complexity of testing and Medicare coverage issues, many eligible patients may not receive Leqembi until five years after its approval.
4. Eisai reported statistically significant clinical improvement data in earlier stages of early Alzheimer's disease from additional analyses of the CLARITY AD study.
5. With Leqembi showing a large reduction in amyloid beta plaque, it may help patients maintain cognitive functions for six months to a year longer.

Due to these challenges, Eisai has likely adjusted their expectations for reaching specific patient goals, as the sales and widespread access to Leqembi may be more gradual than initially projected.