On Monday, the FDA approved a new medication for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Kristina Zdanys and Dr. Yazeed Maghaydah, co-directors of the UConn Health James E.C. Walker Memory Assessment Program at the Center on Aging answer questions about this new treatment.

What is the new Alzheimer’s medication?

Aducanumab is a once-monthly infusion of a monoclonal antibody targeting amyloid, the sticky plaques found in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s.

How does Aducanumab work?

Clinical trials demonstrate that the medication significantly clears the brain of amyloid plaques among people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease receiving high doses of this medication.  It does not cure Alzheimer’s disease, but there will be ongoing research to explore whether it might slow disease progression.

Will UConn Health be administering this medication?

The team at the UConn Health James E. C. Walker Memory Assessment Program is in the process of reviewing the FDA’s announcement and will be working to determine which of our patients might benefit from the use of this medication, and when and how to make it available.