Second “miracle drug” for Alzheimer’s, hailed by scientists as the “best treatment ever” for the disease, is to be banned from use in the British health service

The NHS is expected to block the use of a second Alzheimer's drug, according to reports.

Donanemab – hailed by scientists as the best treatment for this disease to date – has been shown in studies to slow cognitive decline by more than a third.

This is better than the results for lecanemab, the breakthrough drug that was declared safe by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week but was not approved for use in the NHS due to cost concerns.

This means that only patients who can afford to pay the costs privately have access to this medicine.

The cost of donanemab, manufactured by US company Eli Lilly, is estimated at around £25,000 per patient per year – about 25 percent more than lecanemab.

Smiling young social worker and old man with Alzheimer's playing with puzzle in nursing home.

However, donanemab appears to carry twice the risk of serious side effects. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which decides which drugs are available on the NHS, is unlikely to reverse its decision on lecanemab – made by Eisai – or give its backing to donanemab, The Telegraph reported yesterday.

Nice defended its decision on lecanemab, saying the cost was “well above the range normally considered cost-effective for routine use in the NHS.”

Several drugs are believed to be currently in development to treat Alzheimer's and other dementias.

Last night, a leading Alzheimer's charity said it had written a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting urging him to “act” to ensure all UK patients have access to new treatments.

Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, told The Mail on Sunday: “This is bittersweet news for people affected by Alzheimer's.”

“It is a remarkable achievement that science now provides approved treatments that can slow the devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease rather than just alleviate symptoms.”

“However, it is clear that our health care system is not prepared to handle this new wave of Alzheimer's drugs.”

“This means that people in the early stages of the disease will be denied access to lecanemab on the NHS and it will only be available to those who can pay for it privately. This is deeply disappointing.”

“Of course, like first-generation treatments for other diseases, lecanemab has modest benefits and side effects that need to be carefully monitored. It is not a cure, but it is a real step forward – the first new dementia drug approved in more than 20 years.”

The MHRA and Nice stated that they could not comment on ongoing assessments.

However, Nice said the benefit of lecanemab was “too small to justify the cost”. A spokesman added: “The cost of the treatment, including the fortnightly infusions in hospital and intensive monitoring for side effects, combined with the relatively small benefit to patients, means the treatment cannot be considered worthwhile to the taxpayer.”