What went right this week? The good news you should know about

A brand new drug provided an Alzheimer’s ‘breakthrough’

Might this be the start of the top for Alzheimer’s? That’s the hope after a second drug in six months was discovered to sluggish the illness. 

Donanemab works by clearing the amyloid protein that builds up within the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s. Eli Lilly is the agency behind it. It’s but to publish detailed findings of its part three trial, however says greater than 1,700 folks took half and that the drug slowed cognitive decline by 29 per cent. 

As ever, there are caveats. The drug is just not appropriate for folks with superior Alzheimer’s or different varieties of dementia. And within the trial, 1.6 per cent of members skilled harmful mind swelling, with two deaths attributed to it.

Extra analysis is required and it will likely be a while earlier than Donanemab is accessible on prescription. Nonetheless, it marks vital progress in tackling a illness that has stumped scientists for many years.

“We’re now on the cusp of a primary technology of remedies for Alzheimer’s, one thing that many thought unattainable solely a decade in the past,” mentioned Dr Susan Kohlhaas, government director of analysis at Alzheimer’s Analysis UK. “Folks needs to be actually inspired by this information, which is but extra proof that analysis can take us ever nearer in direction of a remedy.”

Picture: Unsplash