An expert advisory panel supports FDA approval of a new Alzheimer's drug
A panel of independent advisors to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously Monday that the benefits outweigh the risks of the experimental new drug for Alzheimer's disease.Alzheimer's affects more than six million Americans. There is no cure and there is no treatment or lifestyle modification that can restore memory loss or reverse cognitive decline.The drug, produced by Eli Lilly, is donanemab. It modestly slowed cognitive decline in patients in the early stages of the disease, but also had significant safety risks, including swelling and bleeding in the brain.The committee concluded, however, that the consequences of Alzheimer's are so dire that even a modest benefit may be worthwhile.The FDA usually follows the advice of the agency's advisory committees, but...