Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi could cost Medicare up to $5 billion per year, study estimates

The caller Alzheimer's antibody attraction Leqembi could outgo Medicare up to $5 cardinal per year, according to research published successful a starring aesculapian diary this week.

Medicare would walk astir $2 cardinal per twelvemonth if astir 85,700 patients trial affirmative for the illness and are treated with the Eisai and Biogen merchandise Leqembi, according to the probe published successful JAMA Internal Medicine connected Thursday.

The programme for seniors would walk $5 cardinal if astir 216,500 patients go eligible for the breakthrough treatment, according to the study.

The authors said the estimated costs to Medicare are conservative, and spending connected Leqembi mightiness summation much than anticipated depending connected request and different factors.

The researchers who conducted the JAMA survey included physicians, on with public wellness and argumentation experts. They are affiliated with the University of California Los Angeles, the Rand Corporation, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center successful Boston, among different institutions.

Eisai and Biogen person priced the doubly monthly antibody infusions astatine $26,500 per year.

There are besides an estimated $7,300 successful further yearly costs per diligent associated with neurologist visits, MRI tests and PET scans, medication of infusions, and monitoring for and attraction of imaginable broadside effects, according to the researchers.

The survey assumed Medicare would screen 80% of the costs with patients near to wage the remaining 20% successful afloat oregon successful portion depending connected whether they person supplemental insurance.

Patients could look an yearly measure of astir $6,600 per twelvemonth depending connected the authorities they unrecorded successful and whether they person supplemental insurance, according to the study. Some lower-income radical who suffice for Medicare and Medicaid would wage thing retired of pocket.

The Alzheimer's Association, which lobbies connected behalf of patients surviving with the disease, estimates Alzheimer's and different forms of dementia volition outgo the U.S. $345 cardinal this year. Those costs could emergence to $1 trillion by 2050, according to the association.

"That's the lawsuit without treatment. Prevention and attraction is the lone way toward reducing this outgo implicit time," Robert Egge, the association's caput of nationalist policy, said successful a statement.

"But it's not outgo that should find if radical person entree to beingness improving attraction — it's astir the interaction connected people," Egge said. "Treatments taken successful the aboriginal stages of Alzheimer's could mean a amended prime of life."

Leqembi had a affirmative effect connected patients with aboriginal Alzheimer's illness successful objective proceedings results published successful the New England Journal of Medicine successful January.

The costly attraction is not disposable to the overwhelming bulk of patients close present due to the fact that Medicare has severely restricted sum of the antibody.

Medicare has promised to supply broader sum of Leqembi if the FDA grants afloat support of the attraction successful July. Leqembi received expedited support from the Food and Drug Administration successful January.

The Alzheimer's Association, members of Congress and authorities attorneys general are pushing for Medicare to driblet its restrictions and afloat screen Leqembi.

The antibody treatment, which targets encephalon plaque associated with the disease, slowed cognitive diminution by 27% successful Eisai's objective trial.

There are presently nary different drugs connected the marketplace that person demonstrated this level of efficacy astatine slowing Alzheimer's disease. Eli Lilly's donanemab demonstrated promising objective proceedings results earlier this month. The institution plans to use for afloat FDA support this quarter.

Leqembi and donanemab some transportation superior risks of encephalon swelling and bleeding.