Nov. 24 at 11:22 PM
Current treatments such as Eli Lilly’s Kisunla and Biogen/Eisai’s Leqembi have been shown to slow down the progression of the disease by up to a third, but come with the risk of severe side effects. Shares of Eli Lilly
traded nearly 0.8% higher Monday at the closing bell in London, while Biogen
stock rose 2.6%.
Novo’s decision to test Rybelsus, an oral form of semaglutide, had been largely based on real-world evidence suggesting a correlation between Alzheimer’s and taking semaglutide.
The drug works in a similar way to Lilly’s rival medicines Mounjaro and Zepbound by mimicking the gut hormone GLP-1 that naturally occurs in the body, to regulate blood sugar levels and enhance feelings of fullness. It’s not yet clear how GLP-1s might benefit Alzheimer’s patients, but the theory is that it targets the neuroinflammation thought to impact them.
$LLY $BIIB