Approximately 1,500 Alzheimer’s patients in Luxembourg could benefit from Leqembi, a newly approved medication that slows disease progression in early-stage cases. The drug, authorised in the EU last week, represents a shift from symptom management to targeting Alzheimer’s underlying mechanisms.
Unlike existing treatments, Leqembi’s active ingredient lecanemab attacks amyloid protein deposits in the brain – a key factor in memory loss and cognitive decline. Clinical trials show it can delay disease progression by approximately six months when administered early.
Professor Michael Heneka, director of the University of Luxembourg’s Centre for Systems Biomedicine, emphasises critical constraints. The treatment only works when initiated decades after amyloid accumulation begins but before advanced cognitive damage occurs. He notes the effect remains limited as other neurodegenerative processes continue unaffected. Importantly, the drug is not suitable for patients with specific genetic markers that dramatically increase risks of dangerous side effects.
The treatment carries significant risks including potentially life-threatening brain swelling and cerebral bleeding. Patients carrying high-risk genetic variants are automatically excluded from treatment due to extreme vulnerability to these complications.
Additional medical conditions may disqualify patients from receiving Leqembi treatment. Given the drug’s risks, patients undergoing therapy will require four separate medical evaluations during the first year of treatment. Health authorities estimate between 1,500 and 2,000 Luxembourg patients might meet the strict eligibility criteria, though the drug’s availability timeline remains uncertain.
Professor Heneka clarified that Luxembourg’s access to the medication depends on two key factors: approval by Belgian regulatory authorities – which Luxembourg traditionally follows for pharmaceutical approvals – and completion of price negotiations. “We expect the drug to be available before mid-year”, Heneka stated.
At approximately €26,000 annually, the treatment carries significant cost implications. Before becoming accessible in Luxembourg, several administrative steps must be completed: inclusion in the national Pharm database, establishment of treatment guidelines, and finalisation of reimbursement terms with health authorities, according to the Ministry of Health.
For patients seeking immediate access, the National Health Fund (CNS) may consider individual requests during this interim period.
