UNC Health Pardee 1st to administer new drug to treat Alzheimer's disease

UNC Health Pardee is the first healthcare organization in Western North Carolina and the UNC Health system to administer the drug Lecanemab, a newly-approved Federal Drug Administration medication for treating Alzheimer’s disease, according to a news release.

Lecanemab is the first drug to have shown benefit in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's, the release said. Dr. Joel Callahan, chief of staff of UNC Health Pardee and medical director of Pardee Neurology Associates, administered the first dose of Lecanemab on Dec. 1 to an 81-year-old woman from Hendersonville.

According to the release, the patient, who had a confirmed Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis earlier this summer, said she was cautiously optimistic about the medication.

“While we would rather have a proven remedy, we’re doing the best we can with a horrible situation,” her husband said in the release.

The couple said they would have traveled to anywhere necessary to have access to this medication, so being able to receive it in their community was a very welcome benefit. They expressed they’re hopeful for positive outcomes and glad to be a part of something that is a step toward a cure, the release said.

“The approval of Lecanemab for the treatment of Alzheimer’s is an exciting and important first step,” said Callahan in the release. “Despite some of the risks, drawbacks and limitations of this new treatment, the progress made after decades of failed advancement remains a reason for optimism in the treatment and perhaps one day, cure, of this disease.”

The FDA fully approved Lecanemab in July 2023 for patients with early or mild memory issues related to Alzheimer’s disease, UNC Health Pardee said. It is given through an IV infusion every two weeks.

“The medication works by targeting amyloid proteins for removal, which is felt to be a driver in the progressive cascade of Alzheimer’s disease,” Callahan said.

He said reducing these proteins helped to modestly slow memory and thinking decline caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

For more information about UNC Pardee Health Care, go to https://pardeehospital.org.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Hendersonville hospital 1st to administer new drug for Alzheimer's