Eisai launches Leqembi in India, introducing first disease-modifying Alzheimer’s treatment

Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai has received marketing authorisation from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and launched Leqembi (lecanemab) for early‑stage Alzheimer’s disease. The drug is indicated for patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to early Alzheimer’s and requires confirmation of amyloid‑beta pathology through biomarker testing.

Leqembi is the first disease‑modifying therapy (DMT) approved in India, and clinical data from the Phase‑3 Clarity‑AD trial showed a 27‑33% slowing of cognitive decline compared with placebo. India faces a growing dementia burden, with an estimated 8.8 million people aged 60+ living with dementia in 2023 and prevalence projected to nearly double by 2036. Eisai plans patient‑support programmes but notes challenges such as early diagnosis, biomarker testing, infusion infrastructure and reimbursement that could affect uptake.