LONG-TERM efficacy data for the anti-amyloid therapy Kisunla (donanemab, Eli Lilly) was presented yesterday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto, Canada.
Kisunla is a disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that helps immune cells clear amyloid plaques to slow cognitive and functional decline and maintain the ability to carry out everyday tasks.
The recent results demonstrated that the positive impact of Kisunla on cognition and daily function not only continues but increases well beyond the initial period of treatment, with a doubling of clinical benefit from 18 months to 36 months.
It also showed that the sooner Kisunla is initiated, the better the outcome for patients with early symptomatic AD.
Giving patients the drug earlier resulted in a 27% reduction in the risk of progression to the next stage of AD compared to those who received it 18 months later.
The medicine was recently registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (PD 22 May), becoming the first new treatment registered in Australia for early Alzheimer's disease in 25 years, and the first treatment registered in Australia to address the underlying cause of the neurodegenerative disease.
An application to include Kisunla on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) was reviewed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) in Jul, with the funding decision to be made public on 22 Aug.
The sponsor Eli Lilly said that until Kisunla is listed on the PBS, it will be available on private prescription.
Federal Minister for Health, Mark Butler - who ultimately signs off on PBAC decisions - said on ABC's 7:30 on Mon, that the drug "is really exciting in the dementia space, a space that has not seen any really successful drug innovations in the 40 years since we first discovered the role of the amyloid protein on the brain in driving Alzheimer's".
Eli Lilly said it continues to work with the Australian Govt and Alzheimer's community to support the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. KB
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