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The MHRA on Wednesday granted a license for Eli Lilly's new Alzheimer's treatment, donanemab, for use in adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. However, the drug will not be available on the NHS, as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) concluded that it "does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS." The health spending watchdog explained that the costs of providing donanemab, including regular infusions and intensive monitoring for serious side effects, outweigh the relatively small benefits it offers to patients, and so it "cannot currently be considered good value for the taxpayer." Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: "For NICE to be able to approve a medicine for use in the NHS it must provide additional benefits to patients, and it must also represent a good use of NHS resources and taxpayers' money. Donanemab (also called Kisunla) is a monoclonal antibody drug given by infusion (through a drip in the arm). It targets and reduces beta-amyloid proteins, whose abnormal buildup is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Clinical trial evidence suggests that the monthly injection can slow Alzheimer's disease progression by 4 to 7 months.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved lecanemab (Leqembi) for use in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, following a thorough review of the drug's benefits and risks. Developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai, lecanemab is the first treatment for Alzheimer's disease licensed for use in Great Britain, with evidence indicating its potential to slow the disease's progression. Although the MHRA has granted a product license for the medicine, there are concerns about its cost and the potential delay before it becomes accessible to NHS patients. Pharmacist Thorrun Govind told Talk TV that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is expected to make a final decision on its cost and availability by the end of the year. She highlighted that the drug is currently approved for private use, and that NICE will next evaluate it, weighing patient care against the value for taxpayers, with a final decision expected later this year.