FDA approves new drug to treat Alzheimer's disease

BRADENTON, Fla. - Michele Hall is traveling with her husband in Pennsylvania, a long way from their home in Bradenton.

"Most people who see me think I'm normal," Hall shared.

For three years though, the 57-year-old has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

Birthdays, spelling, and pronunciations are difficult, even for this onetime general counsel for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

"My quality of life is pretty good," she said. "I would love to see it even better."

Michele Hall has Alzheimer's and understands how difficult living with the disease can be.

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The FDA has approved Leqembi after an 18-month trial that improved memory loss by 27 percent.

For some people who took the drug, the disease took more than five months to advance.

"This is more months of that person recognizing their spouse, a longer time recognizing their children, their grandchildren," said Lyndsay Taylor of the Alzheimer's Association. "It gives more time to plan for the future, more time to participate in hobbies and activities we enjoy."

The drug brings so much promise because it attacks a plaque that the disease is rooted in.

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But in 17 percent of patients it caused brain bleeds and swelling, and it's only for those whose symptoms are in the earliest stages. Still this is the biggest advance in decades.

"As we research these drugs more and more, we're hopeful that one day we will find a cure for Alzheimer's disease," explained Taylor. "We are hopeful that someone alive right now will be the first person to survive Alzheimer's disease."

Michele and her husband, Doug, hope this is a sign that research is about to take off exponentially, to help those even beyond the earliest stages.

"I would like to see people say, 'Oh, you know what? I think I might go check that out because maybe I have it, or it's my grandfather, I may have it,'" said Hall. "So that would be good for them. And I hope it causes more people to go out there and talk about it."

Full approval now clears the way for Medicare and other insurance plans to cover as much as 80 percent of the cost, which is priced at about $27,000 per year.

While the medication Hall is on is given once per month, Leqembi would be administered by IV every two weeks.