Nine months after the U.S. launch of Eisai Limited (OTC:ESALY) and Biogen Inc's (NASDAQ:BIIB) Leqembi, the first drug shown to slow Alzheimer's progression, adoption faces hurdles due to skepticism among some doctors.
Initially hopeful, Alzheimer's experts anticipated challenges with Leqembi's requirements, including frequent infusions and diagnostic tests, leading to slow adoption after FDA approval.
Interviews with 20 neurologists and geriatricians revealed concerns about efficacy, costs, and risks, hampering widespread prescription.
Reuters highlighted that seven interviewed doctors cited skepticism, while six highlighted "therapeutic nihilism" as a significant barrier to Leqembi adoption.
Dr. Reisa Sperling likened skepticism to past fatalistic attitudes toward cancer treatment. Eisai's chief administrative officer, Alex Scott, acknowledged skepticism's impact, citing historical skepticism toward Alzheimer's research.
In trials, Leqembi, targeting amyloid, showed a 27% cognition decline slowdown. However, adoption has been sluggish, with only a fraction of intended patients receiving treatment.
Factors include long adoption cycles for new drugs and concerns about Leqembi's efficacy and costs.
Despite FDA approval, less than half of U.S. neurologists recommend Leqembi, citing limited patient benefit and significant risks.
Dr. Michael Greicius doubts Leqembi's meaningful patient benefits, given slim trial differences, Reuter writes. Dr. Eric Widera and Donna Fick caution about the drug's risks and unclear benefits.
Some physicians have expressed worries regarding the potential for brain swelling and bleeding linked to Leqembi.
They've also highlighted concerns about the financial burden imposed by the drug's $26,500 yearly cost, along with the expenses related to regular MRIs and bi-monthly infusions.
Reuters notes that of the 10,000 Americans the companies hoped to treat by the end of March, Eisai announced that only a couple thousand had begun treatment as of January.
Biogen and Eisai intend to increase their sales force by 30%, aiming for 100,000 patients by 2026.
In its first-quarter earnings release, Biogen said Leqembi launch uptake accelerated with first-quarter global in-market sales of approximately $19 million, nearly triple the fourth quarter of 2023, and patients on therapy increasing nearly 2.5 times since the end of 2023.
Price Action: BIIB shares are up 3.36% at $199.68 at the last check Wednesday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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