Leqembi® Achieves €200 Million Sales Milestone Amid Alzheimer's Breakthrough

Leqembi® Sales Milestone Reached

BioArctic AB's partner Eisai recently announced a notable achievement for Leqembi® in the marketplace. Sales have reached a whopping €200 million as part of Eisai’s fiscal year 2024, which spans from April 2024 to March 2025. This achievement not only emphasizes the increasing acceptance of Leqembi but also triggers a €10 million payment to BioArctic as stipulated in their licensing agreement.

Leqembi®, also known as lecanemab, is the culmination of a dedicated partnership between BioArctic and Eisai, initially founded on groundbreaking research by Professor Lars Lannfelt. This collaboration was particularly influenced by his pivotal discovery of the Arctic mutation associated with Alzheimer's disease. While BioArctic spearheaded the original development of the antibody, Eisai has taken the lead in clinical development, regulatory applications, and commercialization of Leqembi in various global markets.

Currently, BioArctic holds the rights to commercialize this therapeutic drug within the Nordic region, working alongside Eisai to ensure a successful market entry. With a particular focus on mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's dementia, Leqembi has garnered approval in numerous countries including the U.S., Japan, and several European nations. Its acceptance is significantly underpinned by impressive data from Eisai’s Clarity AD clinical trials, which marked successful endpoints.

In recent updates, Eisai also secured approvals for supplementary applications that could enhance patient convenience, notably a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) that allows for less frequent intravenous maintenance dosing for existing users. Moreover, they are in the process of streamlining a subcutaneous auto-injection formulation to simplify administration further.

As of now, there is ongoing clinical research involving lecanemab that targets preclinical Alzheimer's patients exhibiting early signs of cognitive decline. Funded through a partnership with the National Institute on Aging, this significant study is striving to provide deeper insights into the treatment's potential.

Historical Collaboration

Since 2005, the partnership between BioArctic and Eisai has been steadfast, with numerous pivotal agreements shaping the trajectory of their research and market strategies in Alzheimer's treatment. The development and commercialization agreements they signed in the following years have fortified their position as innovators in the field. Notably, BioArctic hasn’t incurred any development costs related to lecanemab but instead benefits from various milestone payments linked to regulatory success and overall sales performance.

Looking Ahead

BioArctic continues to advance its research portfolio beyond lecanemab, including antibody candidates for conditions like Parkinson's disease and ALS. The company is dedicated to harnessing its proprietary BrainTransporter™ technology—promising to improve drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier—as part of its research initiatives. As BioArctic maintains its focus on patients grappling with neurodegenerative diseases, the milestone achieved with Leqembi's sales is a promising indicator of the company’s efficacy and future potential in this vital realm of healthcare.

Overall, the surge in Leqembi’s sales reflects a collective effort to combat Alzheimer's disease more effectively while emphasizing the importance of innovative research and successful collaborations like the one between BioArctic and Eisai.

For those interested in the future trajectory of Alzheimer's treatment options and related developments, BioArctic’s continued innovations and collaborations will be key developments to watch.