New drug gives hope and time to Alzheimer's patients

SEATTLE — There's new hope for people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. A new medication called donanemab appears to slow memory loss, giving patients the gift of more time.

UW Medicine's Memory & Brain Wellness Center at Harborview Medical Center recently started treating patients with the drug. Bob Pringle is one of the first patients in Seattle to receive donanemab.

"They already tell me it won’t cure it. It won’t stop it," Pringle said.

While not a cure, donanemab does have promise.

"I know that I will progress with memory loss, and I’ve accepted that," Pringle said. "I’m just hoping that this process is going to slow that down."

He already has issues with his memory. Pringle enjoyed a 30-year career with the Seattle Fire Department. While photos show him going from recruit to captain of the arson investigation team, he says he can't remember much about it. He hopes denanemab helps him hang onto the remaining memories of his family - his wife, two children, and grandchildren.

Pringle will receive 18 infusions once a month for the next year and a half.

Donanemab is designed to teach his immune system to remove proteins from his brain that lead to dementia. It could extend his quality of life by months, buying time while science works towards a cure.

"For the first time, we have a disease-modifying treatment that can interfere with the biology of Alzheimer's disease and lead to a better outcome in the patient’s eyes," said Dr. Thomas Grabowski, medical director of the Memory and Brain Wellness Center. "There’s a sense of hopefulness that this medicine has brought with it. And that’s gratifying to be part of that. We’ve worked many years to get to this point, and to be able to honestly say we have the first effective treatment for this disease is really a good feeling."

Donanemab works similarly to lecanemab, another promising Alzheimer's drug. Patients on lecanemab need infusions every two weeks, while donanemab is administered once a month.

Between his infusions, Bob and his wife Tina have plans to go on a cruise, making new memories.

"We still travel," Tina said. "And he’s able to. I have to take more of the responsibility, of course, but I’m happy to do so. So as long as he can keep enjoying life, that’s the goal."

It's a big goal - wrapped in a small pouch of medicine.

"That’s hope in that little tiny bag," Tina said. "So, I’m so excited to finally get here."

To qualify for treatment, UW Medicine said a patient must have early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia, and evidence of amyloid plaques.

Private insurance might cover treatment with donanemab. It is also covered by Medicare.