Alzheimer’s Drug Leqembi Can Be Safely Administered In Memory Clinics, Study Says
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 — The 2023 approval of the first drug shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease came with no small amount of concern from skeptics.
Lecanemab (Leqembi) modestly slows Alzheimer’s by helping the body flush out amyloid beta proteins associated with toxic plaques in the brain.
But in clinical trials the drug also came with a risk of brain swelling and bleeding among patients.
Now, a new real-world study has shown that doctors can effectively control these potentially dangerous side effects, researchers reported May 12 in JAMA Neurology.
“Fear surrounding the drug’s potential side effects can lead to treatment delays,” co-senior researcher Dr. Barbara Joy Snider, a professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a news release.
The findings show that memory clinics can have “the infrastructure and expertise to safely administer and care for patients on lecanemab, including the few who may experience severe side effects,” Snider said.
For the study, researchers tracked the progress of 234 patients with very mild or mild Alzheimer’s receiving lecanemab infusions at Washington University’s Memory Diagnostic Center. These patients were treated between August 2023 and October 2024.
Of the 194 patients at risk for brain swelling or bleeding, 22% developed those side effects while receiving lecanemab, results show.
Most of these cases did not show any symptoms and were only discovered on brain scans, researchers said.
Of 11 patients who developed symptoms from brain swelling or bleeding, the effects largely resolved within a few months, researchers said. No patients died.
Ultimately, only about 4% of all the patients wound up stopping lecanemab treatment due to brain swelling or bleeding, results show.
Likewise, only 1% experienced severe side effects that required hospitalization, researchers said.
“Most patients on lecanemab tolerate the drug well,” co-senior researcher Dr. Suzanne Schindler, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a news release.
“This report may help patients and providers better understand the risks of treatment, which are lower in patients with very mild symptoms of Alzheimer’s,” Schindler added.
Sources
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, news release, May 9, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
Tiny Traces of Lithium May Help Protect the Brain From Alzheimer’s
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2025 — Tiny amounts of lithium — a natural metal — may help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s and signs of aging, new research...
Over 60? Healthy Lifestyle Change May Help Boost Your Brain
WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2025 — Two years’ involvement in programs focused on healthy eating, regular exercise and “brain training” exercises appears to have...
Dementia Diagnosis Typically Comes 3.5 Years After Symptoms
TUESDAY, July 29, 2025 — It takes an average of three-and-a-half years for typical dementia symptoms to lead to a diagnosis, a new report finds. Diagnosis often comes even...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.