Eli Lilly and Co announced that preliminary data from a first-in-human study of a cutting-edge treatment for Alzheimer’s disease showed that a new drug reduces the level of amyloid plaques in the brains of patients in the early stages of the disease, which has a devastating effect on human consciousness.

According to Lilly, the higher the dose of this drug with antibodies, the greater the effect. Remternetug treatment was carried out by intravenous infusion, but there is a possibility of a more convenient method of administration by subcutaneous injection.

This pharmaceutical manufacturer, based in the American city of Indianapolis, has launched phase III clinical trials of its new experimental antibody Remternetug, but did not specify the dosage that will be chosen for subsequent studies, which will be larger, reports Agerpres.

“We’re still trying to learn some of these aspects,” said Dawn Brooks, global drug development coordinator for pharmaceutical company Remternetug. She also says the US company’s goal is to understand how best to balance dosage levels and treatment duration with patient safety.

At a medical conference organized in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, the Eli Lilly company presented interim data obtained as a result of a study conducted with the participation of 41 participants. Studies have shown that the percentage of removal of amyloid plaques was 75% in 24 patients who received Remternetug at the three highest doses.

What are the side effects?

The most common side effect caused by the medication was a type of brain inflammation called ARIA-E, which occurred in 10 participants, and one patient stopped treatment because of a serious side effect.

Eli Lilly is expected by the end of June to announce the results of its Phase III clinical trial to demonstrate the cognitive effects of donanemab, another antibody designed to reduce amyloid deposits that is in a more advanced stage of development and is given by intravenous infusion.

Two Alzheimer’s drugs developed by partners Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc, Lequembi and Aduhelm, have been fast-tracked by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on evidence provided for their ability to eliminate amyloid plaques.

Remternetug works in a similar way, but provides a more convenient way of administration. Eli Lilly is also testing a more traditional version of administering the drug through intravenous infusions.

Lequembi is currently undergoing a standard FDA evaluation process that will analyze the drug’s effects on cognitive function. The results of a study published last year showed that in patients with early stage Alzheimer’s disease, Lequembi reduced the rate of cognitive decline by 27% compared to a placebo.

More than 6 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.