LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Book in hand, Ann Bruce reads aloud while she receives an infusion—her first dose of Lecanemab—which she now plans to receive every two weeks for the rest of her life.
“Terribly excited about it. Well, it’s exciting from all standpoints. One, that it’s being done and that I get to be a part of it,” Bruce says.
In March, Bruce was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she has started her journey of receiving Lecanemab, which the Federal Drug Administration approved in July.
“I got exactly what I needed and Dr. Pugh followed through with everything and saw that I got everything I needed and it’s all happened. I’m here, day one!”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 75,000 Kentuckians 65 and over live with Alzheimers
Dr. Greg Pugh is a memory disorders specialist at Norton Neuroscience Institute.
He said the drug removes amyloid, the toxic protein believed to be a factor in the Alzheimer’s disease process.
“And really that’s a big breakthrough because people have been working on this for decades really and now we finally have our first, of probably many to come, medications that work in this fashion,” Pugh said.
Dr. Pugh says the medication doesn’t improve memory, but slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Lecanemab is only approved for patients with mild cognitive impairment because of Alzheimers, meaning the patient is experiences cognitive impairment but can still function independently.
“Most of the patients are very optimistic, they are living with the fact that they are living with a progressive disorder that we don’t know the cure for, and most of them are optimistic about having something for the first time that might really provide them hope for the future.”
For Bruce’s daughter, Rebecca Martin, access to Lecanemab means she has a chance of spending more time with her mom.
“My North Star, always has been, I’m an only child, and she raised me as a single mother and was the only parent involved in my life but she was my mom and my dad and means absolutely everything to me,” Martin said.
Bruce is hopeful this drug will allow her to continue working in her community.
“I’d like to continue working with doing some of the things I’ve done before like teach, tutor and work with kids and be with my family and be a contributing member and not having have them write checks for me or ask the questions,” Bruce said.
Dr. Pugh says side effects include brain bleeding and swelling, but most of the cases they are seeing are asymptomatic and tend to be very small.
The Louisville native does not need to travel far to receive her infusion at Norton Healthcare, one of a few hospitals in this part of the country to carry it.