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Experts split sharply over experimental Alzheimer’s drug
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A company that claims to have the first drug to slow mental decline from Alzheimer’s disease made its case to scientists Thursday but left them sharply divided over whether there’s enough evidence of effectiveness for the medicine to warrant federal approval.
Excitement and skepticism have surrounded aducanumab since its developers stopped two studies earlier this year because it didn’t seem to be working, then did a stunning about-face in October and said new results suggest it was effective at a high dose.
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Whether it works or not, it will be just what big pharma wants: an expensive drug that you will have to take every day for the rest of your life. And how do I know that this will be an expensive drug? The 'mab' at the end of its generic name is pharma shorthand for a 'monoclonal antibody,' a biologic drug. Without going into the biology of how these work, they are expensive to first produce in testable quantities, then outrageously expensive to manufacture in the huge quantities needed to treat every possible person who may be coming down with this disease. Who will be able to afford to pay for it?
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A company that claims to have the first drug to slow mental decline from Alzheimer’s disease made its case to scientists Thursday but left them sharply divided over whether there’s enough evidence of effectiveness for the medicine to warrant federal approval.
Excitement and skepticism have surrounded aducanumab since its developers stopped two studies earlier this year because it didn’t seem to be working, then did a stunning about-face in October and said new results suggest it was effective at a high dose.
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Whether it works or not, it will be just what big pharma wants: an expensive drug that you will have to take every day for the rest of your life. And how do I know that this will be an expensive drug? The 'mab' at the end of its generic name is pharma shorthand for a 'monoclonal antibody,' a biologic drug. Without going into the biology of how these work, they are expensive to first produce in testable quantities, then outrageously expensive to manufacture in the huge quantities needed to treat every possible person who may be coming down with this disease. Who will be able to afford to pay for it?
