A cure for Alzheimer’s disease, finally | Financial Times

this is the audio transcript of it FT News Briefing Podcast episode: ‘A cure for Alzheimer’s disease has finally been completed‘

Mark Filipino
Good morning from the Financial Times. Today is Friday, July 21st. This is the FT News Briefing.

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Yesterday was a bad day for the Nasdaq, with powerful Thai political groups wreaking havoc on the country’s democratization process. Additionally, we’ll look at two of his major breakthroughs in treating Alzheimer’s disease. My name is Mark Filippino. We deliver the news you need to start your day.

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The technology-rich Nasdaq Composite Index posted its biggest one-day drop since March on Thursday. In New York, shares fell more than 2% on the back of Netflix and Tesla. Streaming services and electric car makers yesterday reported disappointing second-quarter results. Yesterday, Tesla fell nearly 10%. Netflix fell about 8.5%. That raises questions about whether the months-long boom in the tech industry is coming to an end. Tech companies, especially those focused on artificial intelligence, have supported an otherwise overwhelming market. We’ll learn more about developments in the tech sector next week when companies like Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft report their earnings.

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Thailand’s Forward Party won the general election in May, but party leader Pita Rimjaroenrat was blocked from becoming prime minister. He was suspended by Congress for professional matters after he was suspected of owning a minority stake in a now-defunct TV station.

Robin Harding
What’s really happening is that the Thai establishment doesn’t want the Forward Party to come to power.

Mark Filipino
That’s Robin Harding, the FT’s Asia editor.

Robin Harding
And they are doing everything in their power to stop him. And it would be more convenient for them to have legal expertise than the exercise of governmental power as a reason to stop him. Because it looks better.

Mark Filipino
Robin said the main threat came from powerful groups allied with the military. They care a lot about what the Move Forward party represents.

Robin Harding
They acted on the so-called 3 D’s: demilitarization, de-monopoly and decentralization. So they wanted to reform a very powerful army. They want to dismantle certain monopolies, such as the Liquor Monopoly and the Alcohol Monopoly in Thailand. And they want to decentralize power from Bangkok. And all of that is very threatening to various powers. And the Advance Party seems to be unacceptable to its establishment and therefore willing to do whatever it takes to prevent them from seizing power.

Mark Filipino
Thailand will hold another vote next week to choose its prime minister. There is also the possibility of a compromise government with the Pheu Thai Party, which could affect the country’s economy.

Robin Harding
Although the country appears to be on its way to becoming a very wealthy and successful economy, it has not quite achieved it and is stuck in a half-finished stage of development that has yet to make the transition to a knowledge economy. And that requires reform. Indeed, it is a long way to say that the current political situation is actually hindering the development of the country, not in a short-term macroeconomic sense, but in a deeper sense of how to reform to become a truly fully developed and industrialized economy. And that is a kind of tragedy. Move Forward hopes to eventually achieve some of those things.

Mark Filipino
Robin Harding is the FT’s Asia editor.

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July was an important month for breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug to slow the progression of the disease, and Eli Lilly reported earlier this week that its new drug works as well. To talk more about these advances in Alzheimer’s disease treatment, we spoke with FT Scientific Editor Clive Cookson. Hi Clive.

Clive Cookson
high mark

Mark Filipino
So, Clive, Eli Lilly’s drugs are called and I’m. . . i will try this. It’s Donan. . . Don . . . morning . . . Mab. . . . . . Donnan. . . (laughter)

Clive Cookson
Install donanemab. (laughter)

Mark Filipino
And approved earlier this month was a drug called lecanemab, made by Biogen in the US and Eisai in Japan. How do these drugs work and what exactly do they do?

Clive Cookson
Both drugs work in much the same way. Both of these are antibodies, which target a nasty protein called amyloid that builds up in the brain as Alzheimer’s disease progresses. They attack amyloid when it aggregates. These drugs are more than just taking them. They are given by intravenous injection and must be done in a doctor’s office or hospital. And you have to do it every time. . . Every 2 or 4 weeks, depending on the drug.

Mark Filipino
So why are these advances such a big deal?

Clive Cookson
Mark, with 750,000 people in the UK and over 6 million Americans currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, this is a big deal. It’s terrifying, terrifying, and very widespread. It is therefore significant that two of his drugs are the first to actually make a difference. They delay it for months. And this is the foundation that the world of medical research and the pharmaceutical industry can build on to make better drugs that are easier to administer and more effective than those two.

Mark Filipino
Do we know if people will be taking these drugs any time soon?

Clive Cookson
Yes it will. Lecanemab is leading the commercialization process. It’s branded as Leqembi, which is a bit of an understatement to say the least. It is also available in the US now with a list price of $26,000 per year. Donanemab is expected to receive FDA approval by the end of this year, after which it may also receive a trade name or brand name. We hope that the name will be easier to remember and pronounce than donanemab. (laughter)

Mark Filipino
(laughter) Yes, you and I, Clive. So one of the things that really interests me is why are we seeing so much progress now?

Clive Cookson
Research into Alzheimer’s disease goes back over 100 years. Medical and pharmaceutical research is a long, long process. I’m getting better. There are better diagnostic tools out there. A brain scan or his PET scan just got a whole lot easier. A blood test has been developed to show if you have Alzheimer’s disease. They are still in a very early stage. So I think the technology as a whole is advancing. And long-term research is bearing fruit.

Mark Filipino
Clive Cookson is the FT’s Scientific Editor. Thank you Clive.

Clive Cookson
Thank you Mark.

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Mark Filipino
A quick correction before we go. On yesterday’s programme, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he had formed a coalition with the left-wing separatist party Bildu. It was a mistake. Mr Birdu’s parliamentary votes helped Ms Sanchez pass the bill, but Mr Birdu was not part of the coalition government.

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You can read more about all these stories for free on FT.com by clicking the link in the show notes. This is the daily FT News Briefing. Be sure to check back next week for the latest business news. FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Fiona Symon and myself, Marc Filippino. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. This week we have Saffeya Ahmed, David da Silva, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and Gavin Kallmann with their help. The Executive Producer is Topher Vohets. Cheryl Brumley is the global head of audio and our theme song is by Metaphor Music.