Marketed as Leqembi, lecanemab is now available to appropriate patients and covered by most insurance plans. Once eligibility is determined, diagnostics and preparation can take up to three months. 

Lecanemab slows the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. It dissolves plaques that can build up between brain cells, or neurons, and are widely thought to cause Alzheimer’s symptoms. More technically, it is a monoclonal antibody targeting beta-amyloid. These amyloids can for the plaques that can interfere with brain function.

Anti-amyloid therapies are medications designed to remove a protein called beta-amyloid from the brain. This protein is thought to be involved in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.

It is given through a vein every two weeks and has been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by about 30%. The IV infusions are administered every other week at our Norton Infusion Centers at the downtown Louisville and Norton Brownsboro Hospital campus locations.

Lecanemab is indicated for patients with Alzheimer’s in the mild or early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. An assessment of medical history, an MRI scan, minor bloodwork, spinal fluid examination or amyloid positron emission tomography, or PET, scan may be required to determine whether lecanemab is appropriate for you.  A genetic test can determine the risk of side effects such as brain swelling or bleeding (amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, or ARIA).

If you think you are eligible for lecanemab, talk to your primary care provider, neurologist or memory care provider. Your provider can make a referral to the Norton Neuroscience Institute Memory Center to determine whether you are eligible.

Previously available medications treat only the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Lecanemab is the first of a new class of medications known as anti-amyloid therapies that are thought to target an underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease and slow its progression.

+ Infusion reactions: About a quarter of patients will experience a mild infusion reaction. Symptoms might include fever, headache, rash, nausea or abdominal discomfort. These symptoms usually can be controlled with medications such as Tylenol or Benadryl if necessary.

+ Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities: ARIA is a condition that indicates swelling or bleeding in the brain. This occurs in about 2 in 10 people receiving lecanemab, though most often it causes no symptoms and resolves without any treatment. More severe cases can occur, however, leading to symptoms such as headache, confusion, visual changes, dizziness, nausea and seizures. In rare cases, this can lead to death.
Because of the risk of bleeding, this medication is not recommended for patients receiving strong blood thinners. Also, those receiving lecanemab should not receive clot-busting medications.

Lecanemab is given via IV infusion every two weeks in an infusion center. The infusion takes less than an hour with a period of monitoring for reactions after. Repeat MRI scans can be completed three to four times during the first year to monitor for any side effects.

Lecanemab will not improve memory but appears to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The goal is that individuals receiving this medication will retain their memory and cognitive function longer.
Ultimately, the FDA approval of this drug makes it more accessible to patients through Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. As more patients are prescribed the drug, more research and clinical trials can advance the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Eradication of the disease is the hope.

“I think it is a very significant step forward for our field. It’s the first time that we have had a medication with very solid evidence that it is really modifying the course of this disease and, at least as many of us think, treating the underlying causes of this disease.”
– Gregory E. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., director, Norton Neuroscience Institute Memory Center

The FDA has granted approval for this medication as of July 6, 2023, and the drug is currently covered by Medicare. The Memory Center team will work with patients covered by private insurance to determine whether lecanemab is covered.