Statewide Iowa — There’s a promise of some relief for the 66-thousand Iowans who are now living with the most common cause of dementia.
Lauren Livingston, communications director for the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says there’s much optimism as the FDA on Monday approved a drug for treating the disease, which she calls “historic” and the beginning of a completely new future.
The drug aducanumab is being produced by Biogen and she says there’s an important distinction, it’s a treatment for Alzheimer’s and not a cure.
This is billed as the first drug that slows Alzheimer’s disease, and she says the drug addresses the disease in a way that has never been done before, compared to currently approved drugs.
It is anticipated that the drug will be made widely available in the very near future.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive, degenerative and fatal brain disease. While 66,000 Iowans are now diagnosed with it, by 2025, that number is expected to grow to 74,000.
For more information, visit alz.org.
