The broader clearance from the Food and Drug Administration marks a milestone for treatment of the dementia that afflicts some 6 million Americans.
An 8.5% gain in May for Eli Lilly lifted its shares to a record high, while displaced Johnson & Johnson slumped 5.3% during the month.
The key issue is whether the modest slowing of the disease is meaningful to individual patients and their families, especially in light of the potential side effects.
Experts say it’s still unclear whether the updated shots are any better than earlier versions at preventing hospitalization and severe illness.
The drug slowed cognitive decline in people with early Alzheimer’s by 27% over 18 months when compared with a placebo using a common rating scale.
Under the accelerated approval pathway, drugs can be approved based on their ability to remove amyloid, a hallmark of the disease, from the brain.
Major pharmaceutical firms are seeking to strike a balance between international opprobrium over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the needs of sick patients.
Private insurers in the U.S. have mostly declined to cover Aduhelm, saying they need more proof of its efficacy and that benefits outweigh risks like brain swelling.
The drugmaker claims "overwhelming efficacy” and plans to submit their findings for emergency authorization as soon as possible.
Pfizer has been first across the finish line in nearly every leg of the COVID-19 vaccine race, but Moderna executives say their company’s mRNA technology gives it an advantage.
