UAE becomes second country globally to approve use of first and only drug for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE has become the world's second country that approves the registration and use of the Biogen's Aduhelm (aducanumab), the first and only drug for the treatment of early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) on Sunday announced the approval after it got the go ahead call from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start registration and use of the Biogen’s Aduhelm drug for Alzheimer’s disease.

This step allows patients with Alzheimer’s disease in the UAE and regional countries to have early access to this innovative drug, resulting in the acceleration of their treatment plan and improvement of the quality of their life.

Aduhelm is supplied as injections containing a dose of 100mlg. The drug is prescribed to patients with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia) by reducing amyloid beta plaques in the brain.

The medicine registration comes in the wake of the application of MoHAP’s innovative mechanism for its accelerators to evaluate and approve the world’s breakthrough drugs in accordance with the Fast Track/Accelerate Process system. This is coupled with the emphasis on the importance of the early diagnosis and development of medical practices related to Alzheimer's to achieve social and psychological empowerment.

AbdulRahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health & Prevention, stated that this significant milestone is pursuant to the directives of the wise leadership to enhance the UAE's leading position in attracting and providing drugs that have proven to be effective and efficient to be incorporated into treatment protocols.

Al Owais noted that the flexibility of supply chains and the enactment of legislations that keep pace with developments in the pharmaceutical industry greatly contribute to speeding up patient's recovery and improving their quality of life which is a top priority for the ministry and other health authorities.

The Health Minister indicated that the UAE is among the world's fastest countries in terms of granting approvals for innovative drugs, which increases the healing chances of patients in the UAE and the region.

Rachid Azar, Executive Vice President, Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Impairment Business Unit, said: "Biogen's tireless research efforts and dedication to achieving its goals have enabled us to fulfill our commitment to provide the first treatment of its kind in many years to Alzheimer's patients. We believe that this drug will give patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, their families, and healthcare providers a new glimmer of hope, especially as they have been waiting for scientific progress in this regard for decades.

Dr Paul Aisen, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), University of Southern California, said: "For the first time in history, we have achieved an unprecedented achievement by moving beyond treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease towards targeting its main causes. Early detection and diagnosis of MCI will allow us to identify patients who may benefit from this innovative treatment.”