(Radio Iowa) – New drugs which may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease may soon be available to Iowans. The F-D-A recently approved the drug Leqembi (lah-KEM-bee). Dr. Lynn Rankin, a clinical neurologist at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines, says researchers have waited three decades for a treatment that could impact the progression of Alzheimer’s, but this new treatment can be intensive. Rankin calls Leqembi “a little messy” as it requires an I-V every two weeks, plus M-R-Is multiple times during treatment.

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is seeking F-D-A approval for its experimental Alzheimer’s drug, Donanemab. Rankin says the new drugs may be more of a challenge to distribute in Iowa because the state has a shortage of neurologists. The Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 66,000 Iowans living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, and another 98,000 Iowans are their caregivers.