Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Care: New Drugs Slow and Sometimes Stop the Disease

Two years after being approved in the United States, a new Alzheimer’s drug is showing remarkable results in Israeli patients, with many reporting halted progression of the disease.

At Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, about 150 patients, including Meir, 86, and Ofira, 77, are receiving Leqembi, which targets toxic amyloid proteins in the brain.

Meir, a psychiatrist, tells Chanel 12 he has seen no deterioration for a year and a half. “I haven’t lost anything, I drive and work. There has been no deterioration for a year and a half,” he says. Diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s, he describes the treatment as “like beating the disease.”

Dr. Tamara Scheiner, director of the Advanced Alzheimer’s Treatment Service, told the newe outlet: “We definitely see a group for whom it seems that the disease is supposedly not progressing. There are people for whom it really, really stops the disease.” Dr. Noa Bergman, head of the Cognitive Neurology Unit, calls the past two years “a revolution,” noting that the FDA has fully approved the drug, which slows symptom progression.

The treatment, given by infusion every two weeks or month, removes amyloid plaques from the brain, which are believed to play a central role in Alzheimer’s. Patients report maintaining independence and daily activity, including work, social engagements, and hobbies. Ofira says: “I haven’t hidden from anyone that I have Alzheimer’s. There’s nothing to be ashamed of about an illness… In short, I am loved.”

Despite its promise, the treatment carries a high financial cost, often reaching thousands of shekels per month, limiting access for some patients. Dr. Scheiner emphasizes early diagnosis is key, as the drugs are only effective in confirmed early-stage cases.

After decades of limited options, neurologists say this marks a new era in Alzheimer’s care, offering hope that memory loss may no longer be inevitable and quality of life can be preserved.