Month: July 2023

The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced they have fully approved the first drug shown to slow down Alzheimer’s disease. Leqembi, whose generic name is lecanemab, should be widely covered by the federal Medicare health insurance program, which primarily serves adults age 65 and older – meaning more people who are in the early stages of the disease will have access to the drug, and will be able to afford it.

Leqembi comes from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai, and its U.S. partner Biogen. The companies have said Leqembi will cost about $26,500 a year. In studies reviewed by the FDA, Leqembi appeared to slow declines in memory and thinking by about 27% after 18 months of treatment. It also dramatically reduced the sticky beta-amyloid plaques that tend to build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.

In January, the drug received what’s known as accelerated approval from the FDA, based on its ability to remove the substance beta-amyloid from the brains of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Full or traditional approval reflects the FDA’s assessment that Leqembi also helps preserve memory and thinking. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in January it would broaden coverage of Leqembi on the same day the drug received full FDA approval. That should mean the drug will now be covered for most Medicare patients with early signs of cognitive problems and elevated levels of amyloid. Under the expanded coverage, a million or more Medicare patients are potential candidates for the drug. Leqembi requires an initial test to determine amyloid levels in the brain, intravenous infusions every other week, and periodic brain scans to detect side effects.

Dr . Sanjeev Vaishnavi, director of clinical research at the Penn Memory Center, said: “It’s not something that’s going to stop the disease or reverse it. But it may slow down progression of the disease and may give people more meaningful time with their families … It’s very exciting that we’re targeting the actual pathology of the disease.”

Editorial credit: Atthapon Raksthaput / Shutterstock.com

Houston police said that the 25-year-old man who was ‘located safe’ after allegedly disappearing eight years ago was never really missing, and has been living with his mother most of this time. The man, Rudolph “Rudy” Farias, was found alive at a Houston church roughly 8 miles from his family’s home over the weekend, after he seemingly vanished as a teenager eight years ago. However shortly after the news broke, community members began to raise questions about whether he was ever truly missing.

Police said on Thursday that Farias’ mother, Janie Santana, reported her then 17-year-old son missing on March 7, 2015. While he returned home the following day, on March 8, his mother continued to deceive police by claiming he was still missing. Lt. Christopher Zamora of the homicide division’s missing persons unit at the Houston Police Department said at a news conference Thursday: “During the eight-year time frame where he was missing, investigators followed up on many tips, leads, collected evidence proving that Rudy was not missing during the eight-year period. Many of these facts included contacts and statements with relatives, friends, neighbors and medical professionals.”

Zamora told reporters that there were multiple times when police officers spoke with the young man and he allegedly gave them fake names: “He made contact with patrol officers out on the street. However, during these contacts, fictitious names and dates of birth were given misleading officers, and Rudy would remain missing. In fact, both Janie (Santana), Rudy’s mother, and Rudy himself gave fictitious names while interacting with various patrol officers. After investigators talked with him yesterday, it was discovered that he returned home the following day, on March 8, 2015.”  When Farias was seen coming and going from the house over the years, Santana identified him as a nephew and not her allegedly missing son.

Santana said in a statement after Farias was ‘discovered’ that he was nonverbal and unable to communicate, adding that a good Samaritan discovered him and immediately called authorities. Zamora added: “Rudy is safe. He is with his mother by choice. He’s a 25-year-old man.” Police Chief Troy Finner said he doesn’t know why Farias’ mother allegedly maintained that her son was missing all of this time, and when asked if Farias was a victim or a potential suspect, Chief Finner declined to say: “The investigation is still going on … and I’m not going to say if he’s a victim or not.” 

Editorial credit: Artistic Operations / Shutterstock.com