New blood testing and therapies show promise in Alzheimer's treatment

As the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference wrapped up in Philadelphia, local leaders in the field shared promising updates for those facing the devastating disease.

Soon, the community will be able to take advantage of advancements in diagnosis and treatment.

“We have so many exciting things coming through the pipeline,” said Erin Gillespie, director of programs for the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

For starters, a new blood test is more than 90% accurate in identifying patients with symptoms of Alzheimer’s, according to the latest research.

Currently, the FDA has only approved PET Scans and lumbar punctures for diagnostic testing. These options can be costly and difficult to access for people seeking a diagnosis and caregivers.

"This is something that’s going to change the course of this disease,” said Gillespie.

Echoing that excitement, neurologist Dr. Fred Odago with CHI St. Joseph Health spoke on the latest treatment advancements.

“These new drugs target the disease itself,” said Dr. Odago.

In July, the FDA approved the use of Kisunla (Donanemab) for people living with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease.

Last year, another drug, Lecanemab, an antibody IV infusion therapy, received traditional approval from the FDA.

“It's been a long time for new drugs, we're talking about many years of research, a lot of disappointments,” said Dr. Odago.

Covering Kentucky

Father of Gov. Andy Beshear in recovery after car accident

Erin Rosas

Finally, some hope for his patients and so many others.

“We are not looking at them to get better in memory, but we are trying to prevent that precipitous decline," said Dr. Odago.

Gillespie and Odago both believe they’re in the era of treatment, but they’re already looking ahead and working toward the era of Alzheimer’s prevention.

The Alzheimer’s Association has funded millions of dollars into thousands of research studies and clinical trials, leading to more treatment options like the recently FDA-approved Kisunla (Donanemab).

Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association continues to host programs to help families connect with others going through the same journey. They encourage people to reach out to our local offices to learn more about resources in their community.

To support the Alzheimer's Association, you can sign up to participate in the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer's here .