Lecanemab is an amyloid beta-targeting antibody used to treat Alzheimer’s Disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia with a known amyloid beta pathology. Lecanemab is a recombinant humanized immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody directed against aggregated soluble and insoluble forms of amyloid beta (Aβ), which are implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 6 references
Extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques are a hallmark pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), making them a desirable therapeutic target for potential drugs for treating AD. The production and accumulation of Aβ plaques in the brain are commonly observed in AD, and distinct characteristics of Aβ plaques - such as the solubility, quantity, and composition of Aβ pools - may affect the disease state. Aβ causes synaptic impairment, neuronal death, and progressive neurodegeneration, which leads to dementia and cognitive impairment associated with AD.
Aβ peptides exist in various conformational states, including soluble monomers, soluble aggregates of increasing size, and insoluble fibrils and plaque. Soluble Aβ aggregates such as Aβ protofibrils are more neurotoxic than monomers or insoluble fibrils. Lecanemab is an antibody that lowers Aβ plaques in the brain. It preferentially targets soluble aggregated Aβ and works on Aβ oligomers, protofibrils, and insoluble fibrils.
- Primary indication
- Lecanemab is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C6544H10088N1744O2032S46 · 150000.0 Da (approximate)
- First approval
- Canada, 2025 · United States, 2023 · European Union, 2025
- Also known as
- Lecanemab-irmb
- Code names
- BAN-2401 · WHO 11194
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of August 05, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Lecanemab, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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