Eisai and Biogen’s recent launch of Leqembi (lecanemab) in China represents a pivotal moment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment. This innovative therapy, approved for mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to AD, not only slows disease progression but is also expected to address the growing burden. With the ageing population and rising prevalence of the disease in China, Leqembi is set to transform the treatment landscape, offering significant hope and new possibilities for patients and healthcare providers, says GlobalData.
China is the third country to approve Leqembi, following the US in July 2023 and Japan in September 2023. Leqembi is the only approved treatment in China that has shown efficacy in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s by directly targeting both soluble and insoluble forms of Aβ and reducing Aβ plaques.
According to GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center, the diagnosed prevalent cases of AD are expected to increase at an annual growth rate (AGR) of 4.49 per cent from 3.54 million in 2023 to 4.39 million in 2028 in China. With growing disease burden and the Chinese treatment landscape previously being dominated by symptomatic treatments such as Eisai’s Aricept (donepezil), an Acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibitor and Lundbeck’s Ebixa (memantine), an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, as a disease-modifying therapy, Leqembi is expected to generate sales of $13 million in 2024 and grow to $398 million in 2030, at a CAGR of 76.9 per cent in the Chinese market.
Chilamula Srija, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “Given the rising prevalence of AD, the launch of Leqembi in China is timely and crucial. However, the diagnosis infrastructure (which requires MRI to diagnose patients) and drug pricing must not be a hindrance to accessing this treatment in China.”
Shanghai Green Valley’s oligomannate (GV-971), derived from marine algae, received approval in China for the treatment of mild to moderate AD in November 2019. It has demonstrated improvement in cognitive function by restoring balance to the gut microbiota, inhibiting amyloid-beta fibril formation, and reducing neuroinflammation in the brain. Additionally, Lilly’s donanemab is currently in Phase III trial.
Chilamula concludes, “The competitive landscape of Alzheimer’s treatments in China is set to intensify further. Lilly’s donanemab, which is currently in Phase III in China and recently approved by the US FDA under the brand name Kisunla, could present substantial competition to Leqembi given their similar mechanisms of action targeting Aβ. While Leqembi requires biweekly administration, donanemab’s monthly dosing could reduce hospital visits by half, presenting a potential advantage in patient convenience. However, Leqembi has the first-mover advantage. This growing pipeline of treatments is good news for patients, potentially offering more therapy options.”
Edits made by EP News Bureau