Jeffrey Gelblum, MD, a board-certified neurologist with First Choice Neurology and Neuro2Go, the nation’s largest neurology practice, treated the first patient in Florida with Biogen’s Aduhelm (aducanumab), an infusion treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients. Aduhelm decreases amyloid plaque in the brain, which is a marker for Alzheimer’s disease.
Florida’s first Aduhelm patient is a middle-aged woman showing signs of mild Alzheimer’s.
“Not every Alzheimer’s patient is eligible to receive this treatment,” Dr. Jeff Gelblum said. “A patient must undergo a thorough evaluation before infusions are started.” The patient underwent a series of tests at Dr. Gelblum’s office to determine her qualification for the treatment.
To derive maximum benefit from this new drug, Dr. Gelblum is selecting patients who are similar to the best responders in the Aduhelm clinical trials — mild disease, confirmed amyloid plaque in the brain, and overall good health and functionality.
The neurological evaluation, he explained, includes a brain MRI to confirm that the cognitive decline is not related to other causes, such as stroke or hydrocephalus; a PET Scan or spinal tap to confirm that the plaque-forming amyloid protein is in fact present; and clinical assessments of independent activities of daily living, mood, and various cognitive tasks involving memory and attention.
Biogen’s Aduhelm New Data
Yesterday, Biogen announced Aduhelm’s data at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2021.
“The clinical trial results Biogen shared about our joint asset, Aduhelm, at AAIC are important as we believe the data will help inform the scientific community as we continue to explore the strong scientific rationale behind the amyloid beta pathway as one of the earliest changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease,” said Lynn Kramer, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Neurology Business Group, Eisai.
• Item-level analysis from EMERGE trial shows consistency in slowing decline across cognitive, functional, and behavioral measures in early Alzheimer’s disease.
• Presentations include an assessment of the correlation between reductions in amyloid-beta and other biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and clinical decline after treatment with Aduhelm.
• Presentation on ARIA data from Phase 3 trials provides insights for monitoring and management in real-world clinical practice
About Aduhelm
Aduhelm (aducanumab), a human monoclonal antibody, is the first and only Alzheimer’s disease treatment to address a defining pathology of the disease by reducing amyloid-beta plaques in the brain. Aduhelm is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This indication is granted under accelerated approval based on the reduction in amyloid-beta plaques in patients treated with Aduhelm. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trial(s).
Aduhelm has been studied in patients with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease – mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia – with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology. Biogen and Eisai estimate that approximately one to two million people in the U.S. who have been clinically diagnosed with MCI or mild dementia suspected to be due to Alzheimer’s disease would have confirmed amyloid beta pathology if tested.
About Biogen
At Biogen, our mission is clear: we are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Kenneth Murray, and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp. Today Biogen has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, commercializes biosimilars of advanced biologics and is focused on advancing research programs in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders, ophthalmology, neuropsychiatry, immunology, acute neurology, and neuropathic pain.
If you or a loved one are experiencing mild cognitive impairment and want to speak to a board-certified neurologist, schedule a virtual visit with Neuro2Go.