Lecanemab, a promising new drug, has been granted accelerated approval for use in treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that harms an individual’s memory and overall cognitive ability. In many cases, it can lead to death. More than six million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s, but it remains one of the most difficult subjects to study.

Medical research has associated Alzheimer’s with beta-amyloid protein clumps in the brain. Essentially, protein fragments clump together to form a sticky plaque that makes it difficult for neurons (brain cells) to communicate with each other efficiently. Over time, this causes the connections between neurons to weaken and die. Lecanemab works by “unclogging” these clumps. By reducing plaque in the brain, neurons are able to communicate with each other more easily. As a result, the development of Alzheimer’s disease is reversed. In a study of nearly 1,800 participants, lecanemab slowed the development of Alzheimer’s disease by 26%. Scientists suggest that the drug could be even more effective if used earlier in the disease’s development. Still, lecanemab is a groundbreaking advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, a disease that afflicts so many.