The two FDA-approved drugs have demonstrated in clinical trials the capability to slow cognitive decline by several months, The Washington Post reported Oct. 8.
Esai and Biogen's Leqembi and Eli Lilly's Kisunla target the amyloid beta protein clumps in the brain. Alzheimer's affects more than 6 million Americans and is the country's seventh-leading cause of death.
The treatments are "a double, not a home run," Jeffrey Maneval, an assistant professor of neurology at Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told the newspaper. "But you have to get on base."
Despite the optimism surrounding the treatments, however, some medical professionals remain cautious as the therapies come with significant price tags: the annual costs of Lequembi and Kisunla are approximately $26,500 and $32,000, respectively. There has also been concern with potential side effects, including brain bleeding, according to the report.
In addition to the new drug therapies, researchers are exploring the potential of blood tests to simplify and enhance the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, the Post said.