On January 31, Biogen announced the discontinuation of their Alzheimer’s drug ADUHELM® (aducanumab). After nearly 20 years in development, Biogen halted investment in aducanumab due to uncertainties around securing full FDA approval.
While disappointing, Butler Hospital's Memory and Aging Program remains optimistic about insights gained through aducanumab research. Many of our patients participated in aducanumab clinical trials, and their participation helped to open the door to a new class of drugs that is now offering exciting new prospects for the future treatment of Alzheimer’s.
One of those prospective treatments, also developed by Biogen and studied here at the Memory and Aging Program, is LEQEMBI® (lecanemab). Unlike aducanumab, lecanemab has recently been granted traditional FDA approval.
Biogen has announced that it is shifting resources formerly dedicated to aducanumab to strengthen efforts to bring LEQEMBI® to market. Additional focus includes developing new modalities like the anti-tau ASO BIIB080 and tau aggregation inhibitor BIIB113. Though a setback, Biogen remains committed to an Alzheimer's treatment portfolio addressing multiple disease pathologies.
For patients currently receiving aducanumab through research treatments, they will conclude on May 1, 2024. For patients who are receiving aducanumab by prescription, they can receive it until Nov. 1, 2024. Biogen is working to assist those transitioning off the medication, and the clinical team at the Memory and Aging Program has proactively reached out to the program’s patients and research participants currently on aducanumab to discuss next steps.
This announcement reinforces the sequential, building block nature of clinical research. Though aducanumab will no longer be available, the incredible time and effort put forth by researchers and research participants for this drug has now paved the way for another new drug that may offer great promise to those who are living with this disease.
