Kolkata: The first patient in eastern India has received a dose of the breakthrough imported drug to counter early Alzheimer’s disease at the state-run SSKM Hospital. Neurology department doctors administered the drug to a septuagenarian, a former air hostess with mild cognitive impairment.While the therapy is for 18 months, during which the 72-year-old needs to take the drug every month, doctors and the family hope the treatment will stall the progression of the disease. “To be administered once a month as an intravenous infusion, it is known to remove amyloid plaques, the toxic peptide from the brain. This drug is meant for patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease,” said neurology professor and HoD Atanu Biswas. But doctors pointed out that Lormalzi (Donanemab), the new medicine approved by the US FDA for Alzheimer’s Disease was meant for patients in the early stage of the progression. Amyloid deposits in the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Biswas said Alzheimer’s disease was the most common cause of dementia, in which a person gradually loses memory and other cognitive functions. As the number of elderly people is increasing, the burden of this disease is also rising in the country.While the cost of the drug for the entire therapy is pegged at Rs 60 lakh, the patient at the state hospital will receive it at a 50% discount. Covered by a central government health scheme, her therapy cost is being funded from the health scheme.The former air hostess underwent several tests to confirm that the mild cognitive loss she started facing a few months ago was due to Alzheimer’s. “Since this is our first case, we have not released her from hospital after administering the drug. While everything is fine with her, we wanted to closely monitor her for at least 24 hours. We are hopeful that the therapy would stall the progression of the disease and she can lead a quality life ahead,” added Biswas.An official said in Bengal, apart from SSKM, at least two private hospitals—Apollo Multispecialty and Institute of Neurosciences—had the testing facility and expertise to administer this newly launched drug.
