Recent developments in therapeutics that selectively target protein accumulation in neurodegenerative diseases are rightly being celebrated for the potential benefits they offer in areas of high unmet patient need. But are these new therapies truly disease modifying or are they simply addressing the symptoms of a deeper problem? Are there other perhaps related strategies that could go a step further and bring greater benefits for patients afflicted with neurodegenerative disorders? Dr. Peter Hamley, Chief Scientific Officer at Samsara Therapeutics, explores.
Major developments in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases have been hitting the headlines with the FDA approval of lecanemab (Leqembi) for Alzheimer’s and tofersen (Qalsody) for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neurone disease (MND), along with the announcement of promising data in Alzheimer’s for the experimental drug donanemab.