Pharmaceutical companies Eisai and Biogen have announced the first results from a Phase 3 human trial testing a drug designed to treat symptoms of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The drug seems to be successful at slowing cognitive decline, making it the first drug to ever effectively treat Alzheimer’s symptoms. However, experts are cautious in their optimism, suggesting more information is needed to understand exactly how meaningful this treatment will be for patients in the real world.

Lecanemab is an experimental monoclonal antibody designed to break down clumps of toxic proteins in the brain thought to be responsible for the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The antibodies bind to amyloid beta protein aggregations, interfering with their formation, and in some cases breaking down pre-existing accumulations.

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A Phase 3 trial testing lecanemab recruited just under 2,000 participants in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease with only mild cognitive impairment. Half were given fortnightly lecanemab infusions for 18 months, while the other half were given placebo infusions.

Read more: New Atlas