Overview

• Leqembi (lecanemab) is now available in Germany after EU approval, offering the first therapy in Europe shown to slow Alzheimer’s when started very early.
• Access is narrow with estimates of 30,000–60,000 eligible patients—roughly about 10%—and requirements include ApoE4 genetic screening, serial MRI checks and biweekly infusions.
• Clinical data indicate a roughly 30% slowing of decline over 18 months, with no cure and notable risks such as ARIA-related brain swelling and microbleeds; annual therapy costs are about €40,000 per patient.
• A second antibody, donanemab, is expected to gain EU authorization next, with monthly dosing and trial data suggesting somewhat stronger effects, though formal approval timing remains pending.
• Alongside drug rollout, researchers are piloting blood-based biomarker tests to enable earlier diagnosis, and public-health experts stress prevention, with studies suggesting up to 45% of cases could be delayed and a Welsh study linking shingles vaccination to lower dementia incidence.