22-05-2025
Miracle for Australians with Alzheimer's disease as new medication is approved
Australia has approved a new drug for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease for the first time in 25 years.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved Donanemab for those suffering mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to the condition.
While the drug is not a cure for the disease, it slows the progression of Alzheimer's by clearing a build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain which can cause memory loss and impaired thinking.
Donanemab is given to patients as a 30-minute infusion through the arm every four weeks for a maximum of 18 months.
However, the drug has not been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
That means Donanemab is not subsidised by the government and can cost patients anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 a year.
Melbourne grandparents Joel Fulton, 67, and his wife and carer Diane Fulton, 64, said having access to the drug could change their lives.
Mr Fulton spent his life working in the book industry before he was forced into early retirement in 2023 after being diagnosed with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease the year prior.
'Memory was a huge part of my working life in the book trade. After being in the industry for over 40 years, I became the go-to person in my field,' he said.
'I also needed to memorise and confidently sell new lists from publishers every month. Then, slowly but surely, it was as if my memory was being wiped.
'I was aware of this happening but there was nothing I could do to stop it.'
Ms Fulton, who now cares for her husband full-time, recalled his diagnosis as 'the rug being pulled from underneath him'.
'Joel gradually lost all confidence in himself. He's a very different man now, compared to the man he was prior to his diagnosis,' she said.
'Joel has lost the ability to complete many daily tasks independently. He has had to stop driving, which has had a huge impact on him.
'As his wife and full-time carer, I try to keep things as normal as possible with prompts and boards everywhere to help him, but he relies on me being with him and keeping him on track.'
While Mr Fulton's quality of life has already deteriorated, he and his wife believe access to affordable Donanemab treatment could help them enjoy their golden years.
'If I could access this new medicine, I would in a heartbeat,' he said.
Ms Fulton added: 'We need it now, before Joel's symptoms get much worse, and so that he can get the most benefit from the drug to give us more quality time together.'
Nearly 1.6million Australians are involved in the care of someone living with dementia.
Ms Fulton said it's the 'little things' that make caring for her husband so heartbreaking.
'Joel goes to the shed to get a screwdriver, then comes back empty handed. This will happen four or five times until he throws his hands up in frustration,' she said.
'We'll go somewhere like the shops or the doctor's, and he will think he hasn't been there for years even though it may have been a week or so since we were there.
'It was Mother's Day recently and he thought it was Christmas.
'When we got engaged, we thought we'd be together for 99 years with an option for 99 more. We joked about wheelchair races along the Yarra. We never could have imagined this.'
Around 600,000 Australians are currently living with Alzheimer's disease, with approximately 450,000 of those in its early stages.
General Manager of Lilly, a pharmaceuticals company, Tori Brown believes the registration of Donanemab 'must act as a catalyst for change, ensuring Australia's healthcare system is equipped to support the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease'.
'This must include practical guidelines and new pathways for the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, alongside timely government reimbursement of therapies to support patient access and affordability,' she said.
A reimbursement application to include Kisunla, a brand of Donanemab by Lilly, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will be reviewed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in July.
