A man with memory problems has said he has been able to “live a full life” while taking part in a trial of the drug lecanemab, as his symptoms have “plateaued”.
Regulators announced the treatment had been approved for use in the UK, but its rollout on the NHS in England was rejected owing to costs.
Lecanemab, developed by pharmaceutical company Eisai and sold under the brand name Leqembi, is a targeted antibody treatment binds to amyloid, a protein which builds up in the brains of people living with the condition.
It is designed to help clear the build-up and slow down cognitive decline.
Larry Woelk, 77, from east Hampshire, has been on a trial of the drug since 2020 after being diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia.
He has been having lecanemab through an IV infusion every two weeks at the Memory Assessment and Research Centre in Southampton.
Mr Woelk said: “When I first went on the trial my memory was getting worse and worse. Not quickly, but I could tell.
“But since taking lecanemab I feel that the progression of my symptoms has plateaued. My memory assessments have been unchanged since I started on lecanemab.”
The retired business executive first noticed problems with his memory in 2016, when he was finding it difficult to absorb information.