In late November, results from an 18-month Phase 3 clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that lecanemab “reduced markers of amyloid in early Alzheimer’s disease and resulted in moderately less decline on measures of cognition and function than placebo at 18 months but was associated with adverse events.” The results also showed that about 6.9% of the trial participants given lecanemab, as an intravenous infusion, discontinued the trial due to adverse events, compared with 2.9% of those given a placebo.“By slowing progression of the disease when taken in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, individuals will have more time to participate in daily life and live independently,” President and CEO Joanne Pike said.This could also mean more time for a person to drive safely, accurately and promptly take care of family finances, and participate fully in hobbies and interests.” More than 6.5 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, and that number is expected to grow to 13.8 million by 2060.In justifying the cost of Leqembi, the companies said in a news release that based on the estimated quality of life gained by people who take it, the value of the medication to society is around $37,000 a year, but they chose to go lower “aiming to promote broader patient access, reduce overall financial burden, and support health system sustainability.” The wholesale cost of a drug is akin to a car’s sticker price.“At CMS, we will continue to expeditiously review the data on these products as they become available and are committed to timely access to treatments, including drugs, that improve clinically meaningful outcomes,” Brooks-LaSure said in a statement."