2022-12-26 Alzheimer’s drug breakthrough 阿尔茨海默病治疗药物获重大突破

新试验发现首个减缓阿尔茨海默病对患者大脑损伤的药物，这个名为 “lecanemab” 的药物 “意义重大”。这项试验的结果为此领域几十年的高失败率画上句号，并表明用药物治疗阿尔茨海默病（最常见的失智症）的新时代并非遥不可及。

News of the first drug that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s has been called historic and prompted huge excitement among researchers and charities. The manufacturer said it would be filing for regulatory approval in January and hope lecanemab may be available from September in the UK.

首个能减缓阿尔茨海默病病程的药物的试验结果被称为是 “有历史意义的”，这个消息轰动了业界的研究人员和慈善机构。该药物的制造商表示将于明年1月向监管机构提交申请，并希望 lecanemab 能从明年9月起在英国上市。

Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody. These are costly to produce in the lab, so will inevitably be an expensive product. It is only suitable for those with early-stage Alzheimer’s, but few patients in the UK have the confirmatory diagnostic test needed to show they could benefit from the drug. So, its use could be very limited at first, and patients will have to be carefully monitored for side effects.

Lecanemab 是一种单克隆抗体。在实验室生产该抗体的成本很高，因此它必将是一种昂贵的药品。该药只适用于治疗早期阿尔茨海默病的患者，但在英国，很少有患者有证实性诊断测试结果，表明他们能从这种药物中获益。因此，起初该药物的使用可能非常有限，而且研究人员必须仔细监测服药对患者身体产生的副作用。

词汇表

historic 具有历史意义的
regulatory approval 监管批准
monoclonal 单克隆的
antibody 抗体
inevitably 必然地，不可避免地
confirmatory 证实性的
diagnostic test 诊断测试
side effects 副作用

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. How might the drug lecanemab help sufferers of Alzheimer’s?

2. Where might this drug be available from next September?

3. Are there any financial concerns about this drug?

4. Why might the use of this drug be limited at first?

答案 

1. How might the drug lecanemab help sufferers of Alzheimer’s?
This new drug can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

2. Where might this drug be available from next September?
It’s hoped lecanemab may be available from next September in the UK.

3. Are there any financial concerns about this drug?
The drug is costly to produce in the lab, so will inevitably be an expensive product.

4. Why might the use of this drug be limited at first?
The drug is only suitable for those with early-stage Alzheimer’s, but few patients in the UK have the confirmatory diagnostic test needed to show they could benefit from the drug.