First amyloid antibody infusion in Magdeburg: New milestone in Alzheimer's therapy
On 9 September, a patient was treated with the newly approved drug lecanemab (trade name: Leqembi) for the first time at the University Hospital for Neurology in Magdeburg. This means that people in the region now have access to a disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease for the first time.
The memory clinic at Magdeburg University Hospital is a collaboration between the University Clinic for Neurology and the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases Magdeburg (DZNE). This creates a strong network between clinical care and scientific support. Both institutions aim to establish new treatment approaches for neurodegenerative diseases and promote knowledge transfer through joint training courses, work shadowing and symposia.
What makes it special is that lecanemab directly intervenes in the disease process and can significantly slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease. This opens up new perspectives, especially for people with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia. Younger patients with mild symptoms benefit particularly from this treatment.
To enable treatment, the Memory Clinic at Magdeburg University Hospital has created a new infusion facility in collaboration with the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). Four modern infusion stations are now available for patients.
"The approval of lecanemab is a real breakthrough in Alzheimer's therapy. For the first time, we can now offer our patients a drug that intervenes in the causal process of the disease," says the memory clinic team.
With the first infusion in Magdeburg, the University Medical Centre is joining the nationwide introduction of this new therapy – and at the same time sending a strong signal for the future of Alzheimer's treatment in Saxony-Anhalt.
Photo: Dr Michaela Butryn (neurologist), a patient at the memory clinic, nurse Jonas Reuter and Dr Wenzel Glanz (senior physician at the memory clinic). Photographer: Melitta Schubert/UMMD