It's an exciting time for dementia treatments. Until now, people have only had the opportunity to tackle their symptoms. But lecanemab is the first disease-modifying treatment that is going to be widely available. As of 2023, it has been approved and available in the US. Currently (March 2024), lecanemab is being considered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia.
Forty years ago Prof Colin Masters laid the groundwork for this drug, discovering that it was an accumulation of the A-beta peptide that causes Alzheimer's disease. Decades later we have a drug that tackles just that.
Although the distribution, cost and risks of this drug present challenges that are not insignificant, this marks the beginning of a new era in dementia treatment.