Cochrane Review Finds Anti-Amyloid Alzheimer's Drugs Lack Clinically Meaningful Effect, Sparking Debate

A Cochrane review examining 17 clinical trials with 20,342 participants concluded that anti-amyloid drugs targeting amyloid beta proteins have no clinically meaningful positive effects on cognitive decline or dementia severity2

While anti-amyloid drugs successfully remove amyloid proteins from the brain, this removal does not translate into meaningful clinical benefit for patients2

The review found that anti-amyloid drugs likely increase the risk of swelling and bleeding in the brain (ARIA)2

The UK Dementia Research Institute responded to the review by noting that regulators including the European Medicines Agency and UK MHRA support the use of lecanemab and donanemab to slow decline in early Alzheimer's disease1

The UK Dementia Research Institute criticized the Cochrane review for including 5 drugs that failed clinical trials and are not available, weakening the authors' conclusions1

Two approved anti-amyloid antibodies, lecanemab and donanemab, are not covered by the NHS due to limited benefits and high costs accompanied by risks of serious side effects1

The Cochrane authors recommend that future research should focus on other mechanisms beyond amyloid removal rather than continuing trials targeting amyloid beta2

Sources:

1. https://www.ukdri.ac.uk/news-and-events/uk-dementia-research-institute-responds-cochrane-review-suggesting-anti-amyloid

2. https://www.cochrane.org/about-us/news/anti-amyloid-alzheimers-drugs-show-no-clinically-meaningful-effect