In major breakthrough, US FDA approves new Alzheimer's drug

The US Foods and Drug Administration(FDA) on Monday approved Biogen's aducanumab drug for Alzheimer's patience.

The FDA said: "There is substantial evidence that aducanumab reduces amyloid beta plaques in the brain and that the reduction in these plaques is reasonably likely to predict important benefits to patients."

However, the US drug regulator did say that "aducanumab data" is "complicated" with respect to its clinical benefits.

During Alzheimer's a patient suffers from memory loss and is unable to take care of himself, the drug reportedly aims to remove amyloid beta from the brains of patients in the early stages of the disease.

However, the FDA asserted that if the drug does not work it could remove it. The regulator has given"Accelerated Approval" to the drug since it believes it benefits patients over existing treatments but there is still some uncertainty.

The FDA hasn't approved a single Alzheimer’s drug since 2003.

The drug however has produced mixed results. In 2019, the company had halted trials after a committee said the drug didn't show any results, however, the company last year said that it worked when a patient was given a higher dose.

"As is often the case when it comes to interpreting scientific data, the expert community has offered differing perspectives," FDA's Patrizia Cavazzoni said.

Other companies including Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson had earlier scrapped their study including Merck whose trials failed four years ago. Eli Lilly and Roche also failed to make an impact with their drugs.

There are reportedly 6 million people in the US who suffer from Alzheimer's.

(With inputs from Agencies)