{"id":137645,"date":"2025-05-16T11:56:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T11:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/alzheimers-real-world-data-shows-lecanemab-side-effects-are-rare-medical-news-today\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T11:56:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T11:56:07","slug":"alzheimers-real-world-data-shows-lecanemab-side-effects-are-rare-medical-news-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/alzheimers-real-world-data-shows-lecanemab-side-effects-are-rare-medical-news-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Alzheimer's: Real-world data shows lecanemab side effects are rare – Medical News Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

While there is currently no cure for a type of dementia<\/a> called Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>, over the last few years, new medications<\/a> have been introduced to help manage disease symptoms and slow its progression.
One such medication is lecanemab<\/a>, distributed under the brand name Leqembi<\/a>, which was approved<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source> by the U.S. FDA in 2023.
Like all medications, lecanemab has the potential for side effects<\/a>, including headaches, dizziness, muscle aches, and blurred vision, as well as a very serious side effect known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA)<\/a>, such as the presence of swelling or bleeding in the brain.
In November 2022, scientists published the results of the Clarity AD phase 3 clinical trial<\/a> aimed at determining the safety and efficacy of lecanemab in people with early Alzheimer\u2019s disease. In that study, researchers found 0.8% of participants experienced ARIA-E (edema\/effusion) and 0.7% showed signs of ARIA-H (hemorrhage\/hemosiderin deposition).
Now, a new study recently published in JAMA Neurology<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source> reconfirms the Clarity AD findings by reporting that significant adverse events \u2014 such as ARIA \u2014 were rare and manageable in \u201creal-world\u201d use of lecanemab for people with very mild or mild Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/strong>
For this study, researchers recruited 234 people with early symptomatic Alzheimer\u2019s disease, with an average age of about 74, who received lecanemab at the outpatient specialty memory clinic, Washington University Memory Diagnostic Center.
\u201cLecanemab is an antibody<\/a>, a kind of protein normally made in your body by your immune system,\u201d Barbara Joy Snider<\/a>, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology at WashU Medicine and affiliated with the Knight Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research Center, and co-senior author of this study, explained to Medical News Today<\/em>. \u201cAntibodies like lecanemab are designed to have specific targets and are manufactured, then administered to patients. Antibodies are used for many different conditions.\u201d
\u201cLecanemab was designed to recognize certain types of amyloid protein<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source>. This is a protein that is made in your body and can become misfolded. When this happens, it can interfere with brain activity and can form clumps called amyloid plaques<\/a><\/hl-trusted-source>. This is what happens in Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Amyloid misfolding is not the only thing that happens in the brain in Alzheimer\u2019s disease, but it may be one of the first steps in the disease process that leads to memory loss and dementia.\u201d
\u2014 Barbara Joy Snider, MD, PhD
\u201cIn a large clinical trial, people who were treated with lecanemab for 18 months had about 25-30% less decline in their memory and thinking than did people who did not get the medication,\u201d Snider said. <\/strong>
\u201cIt is important to note that the people treated with lecanemab did have a loss in their memory and thinking, so the drug did not reverse or completely stop the memory loss, but it did significantly slow it down. Imaging studies showed that the lecanemab also reduced and sometimes cleared the amyloid plaques in the brain,\u201d she added.
At the study\u2019s conclusion, researchers found that 1.8% of participants at the earliest stage of Alzheimer\u2019s disease showed symptoms of ARIA, compared to 27% of participants with mild Alzheimer\u2019s disease.
\u201cThis finding emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis. The clinical trial results showed that people with very mild symptoms likely benefit more from medications like lecanemab (40-50% slowing of decline instead of 25-30%), so people with very mild symptoms have more benefit and fewer side effects. This is also when it is hardest to be sure someone has Alzheimer\u2019s disease, so it is very important that we continue to work to improve access to diagnosis for people with very mild symptoms.\u201d
\u2014 Barbara Joy Snider, MD, PhD
Snider and her team also discovered that of the 11 participants who experienced ARIA symptoms, the effects mostly disappeared within a few months, and no patients died.
\u201cThis is very similar to what was seen in the clinical trial,\u201d Snider commented. \u201cThis is very reassuring and tells us that these drugs can be used safely in a \u2018real world\u2019 clinic population.\u201d<\/strong>
\u201cWe will continue to follow our patients and hope to learn more about side effects of these medications and about how much they slow down memory loss,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe look forward to sharing this information with other providers and to seeing larger studies through groups like Alz-Net. We are encouraged by our experience of providing amyloid-targeting treatments to appropriate patients and we look forward to the next generation of treatments for Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d
MNT<\/em> spoke with John Dickson, MD, PhD<\/a>, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, about this study. Dickson commented that the study\u2019s findings are generally in line with what he has observed at his center.
\u201cWhile ARIA does occur in patients treated with lecanemab, it has been manageable in our sub-specialty treatment program,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe risk of ARIA is often the most significant consideration in eligible patients\u2019 decisions about whether to pursue treatment with anti-amyloid therapy or not.\u201d<\/strong>
\u201cFurther research to identify patients at increased risk for ARIA, especially serious ARIA with concerning symptoms or radiographic features, could help clinicians advise patients with more personalized recommendations regarding treatment based on individual patients\u2019 risk profiles. This may help patients make more informed decisions regarding their treatment options. These treatment decisions include whether or not to pursue treatment with anti-amyloid therapy, and if so, whether lecanemab or donanemab<\/a> would be a better option.\u201d
\u2014 John Dickson, MD, PhD
Dickson said that for future research, these findings should be examined in a larger patient sample and that the observation time should be extended.
\u201cIn general, the risk of ARIA is highest in the first six months of treatment,\u201d he explained. \u201cWhile some of the patients included in this study had more than six months of treatment, some patients were observed for a shorter period of time. Thus, the results of this study may underestimate the number of patients who will develop ARIA from the study population.\u201d
MNT<\/em> also spoke with Manisha Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD<\/a>, director of the Division of Geriatrics at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, about this research.
\u201cWhile the approval of lecanemab offers a glimmer of hope for Alzheimer\u2019s patients, the potential for serious side effects makes it a complex decision for prescribing physicians,\u201d Parulekar said. \u201cCareful patient selection, monitoring, and open communication about the benefits and risks are essential.\u201d
\u201cThe benefit offered by lecanemab is a modest slowing of decline, not a cure or a dramatic reversal. It is important to weigh its benefit against the potential for serious side effects for each individual patient. This requires careful consideration of the patient\u2019s disease stage, overall health, and other risk factors.\u201d
\u2014 Manisha Parulekar, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD
\u201cIdentifying patients who are most likely to benefit from lecanemab and least likely to experience serious side effects is crucial,\u201d Parulekar added. \u201cAdditional safety data and \u2018real world\u2019 experience [are] helpful for this process.\u201d<\/strong>
Share this article
A new contender for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, lecanemab, may soon be on the market, but what does it really do, and how much promise does\u2026<\/a>
Experts weigh in on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to approve Eli Lilly's experimental Alzheimer\u2019s drug, donanemab, to treat early\u2026<\/a>
Dr. Kamar Ameen-Ali, who specializes in neurodegenerative diseases, and Paula Field, who is a caregiver for a parent with Alzheimer's, talk about the\u2026<\/a>
In this episode of our podcast, MNT investigates how sounds, silence, and music affect our cognitive health, and whether it can be a powerful tool for\u2026<\/a>
As part of our Medical Myths series, this article covers 11 myths about dementia, including the role of vitamins and supplements and ways to reduce\u2026<\/a>
OUR BRANDS<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While there is currently no cure for a type of dementia called Alzheimer\u2019s disease, over the last few years, new medications have been introduced to help manage disease symptoms and slow its progression.One such medication is lecanemab, distributed under the brand name Leqembi, which was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2023. Like all medications, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":137646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-137645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}