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U.S. regulators have approved a Biogen Alzheimer’s drug that divides the scientific community, marking a significant moment for those suffering from the disease and their families.
Aducanumab is designed for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Biogen states that it reduces the progression of the disease by breaking down groups of amyloid plaques that form in the brain.
The treatment has been surrounded by controversy for years and many scientists opposed its approval, saying it does not work.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision announced Monday is monumental given that no new drugs for the disease have been approved in years and that very few treatments exist. About 6 million people in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s.
“We are aware of the care surrounding this approval,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Drug Evaluation and Research Center, adding that “patients with Alzheimer’s disease have significant new treatment and critical to helping fight this disease. ”
Trading in Biogen shares stalled before the decision.
More to follow
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