- Eisai and Biogen Canada announced that Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) has issued a positive recommendation for public reimbursement of Leqembi (lecanemab) for eligible patients with early Alzheimer’s disease, bringing Canadians closer to accessing the first Health Canada-approved treatment targeting the underlying biology of the disease
- The recommendation reverses CDA-AMC’s previous draft position and incorporates new 48-month data, which suggests that the treatment effect may increase over time compared with earlier analyses at 18 and 36 months
- Leqembi is designed to slow disease progression in early Alzheimer’s disease, including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), potentially helping them maintain independence and quality of life for longer
- The recommendation marks a significant step toward broader public access, with reimbursement discussions and implementation across provinces and territories still to come. Stakeholders can submit feedback on the draft recommendation until July 30, 2026
Takeaways:
Leqembi’s positive reimbursement step in Canada is a meaningful commercial win because it could unlock public coverage for the first disease-modifying Alzheimer’s therapy in the country, expanding access beyond early adopters and creating a new reimbursed market if provinces and territories follow through. It also strengthens Eisai and Biogen’s negotiating position, but uptake will likely remain gradual because reimbursement implementation, patient selection, and monitoring requirements can slow real-world adoption.
Source: CA Newswire
