Benzinga | Jul 27, 2021 06:30AM EDT

Analysis Shows Biogen-Eisai's Aduhelm Slows Cognitive, Functional Decline In Early Alzheimer's Patients

* An analysis of Phase 3 data presented by Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) and Eisai Co Ltd (OTC:ESALY) of its Alzheimer's therapy Aduhelm (aducanumab) showed the treatment slowed cognitive, functional, and behavioral decline in the early stages of the disease.

* Treatment effects were exhibited across all three cognitive and three functional domains measured by Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), the EMERGE study's primary endpoint.

* Treatment effects were observed across Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale -- Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog13) items sensitive to cognitive change in early symptomatic Alzheimer's secondary endpoint measures.

* Aduhelm was also associated with reducing behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, as measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-10 (NPI-10), a tertiary endpoint.

* Also, data analyses demonstrated a positive association between aducanumab treatment effect on brain amyloid-beta plaques and clinical measures across dose groups, except for the high-dose group.

* A greater reduction in brain plaque levels was also associated with a greater reduction in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of tau and neurodegeneration and less decline on clinical endpoints.

* Additionally, the third analysis showed that a smaller magnitude of clinical decline was observed in patients whose brain plaque levels were lowered to a threshold considered to be amyloid negative relative to patients who did not reach this threshold.

* Price Action: BIIB shares closed at $331.93, and ESALY shares closed at 86.34 on Monday.