ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A medication aimed at slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration this month. Now, a local doctor said the drug, called Leqembi, could soon be prescribed here in the Lehigh Valley.
- A Lehigh Valley healthcare provider is considering prescribing the latest FDA-approved Alzheimer's medication to their patients
- The drug Leqembi was granted full regulatory approval this month
- It is administered through infusions
Dr. Neti Vora is chief of the Division of Geriatrics at Lehigh Valley Health Network and works with patients at the Fleming Memory Center in Allentown, including those with dementia. She said many of her patients and their families are curious and hopeful about the FDA-approved medication, adding that the network is considering prescribing it to some of those people.
"What it’s meant to do is it’s supposed to reduce the amyloid plaques, which we believe is the cause of Alzheimer's disease or dementia."Dr. Neti Vora, Chief, Division of Geriatrics, Lehigh Valley Health Network
"The drug is actually a monoclonal antibody. What it’s meant to do is it’s supposed to reduce the amyloid plaques, which we believe is the cause of Alzheimer's disease or dementia, and it pretty much attacks those plaques and reduces the burden of it on the brain," said Vora.
“Which then translates into a slowing of the decline that you would otherwise expect with someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia."
“We are in the talks of discussing things about that from a logistical standpoint, “ she said. “We're in a very preliminary discussion phase right now.”
The physician went on to say these infusions only treat one type of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, but there are additional ways to help slow down the other forms of the illness. She said helping patients and their families understand this disease aids in the management process.
“When you support caregivers, when you empower them with the information with the education we have in our experience, it has such a huge impact not only on the care and the quality of life of patients who are going through dementia, but also their loved ones,” she explained.
Though Leqembi is the first to be granted full regulatory approval, there are others being developed and tested. Vora said those who may not be able to take this particular drug for dementia may soon have another type of medication in the future.
“If you are not in the category that might qualify for those drugs, there's so much more that can be done. I don't want people to lose hope in those realms. At the same time, I am excited about what the future has to bring for us,” she concluded.
