UTHealth Houston has become the first institution in Houston to administer Kisunla (donanemab-azbt), an FDA-approved drug for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. The first recipient, Terrie Frankel, aged 79, received her infusion last week. "We're making history today," Frankel stated.
Frankel noticed memory issues earlier this year and was referred to David Hunter, MD, by Rehal Bhojani, MD. Dr. Hunter is an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
Kisunla is not a cure but has shown promise in clinical trials by reducing amyloid plaques by 84% over ten months. "Mrs. Frankel is the ideal patient for this treatment," said Hunter. He emphasized early intervention as key to benefiting from treatments like Kisunla.
Frankel will undergo monthly infusions for 18 months and regular MRIs and PET scans to monitor progress and side effects. If amyloid plaques are reduced significantly, infusion frequency may decrease to once every six months.
Paul E. Schulz, MD, who led the clinical trial at UTHealth Houston, remarked on the significance of having two drugs that slow Alzheimer's progression: "Having two drugs is way better than one because now we know that the approach to the disease is generally correct."
UTHealth Houston plans to recruit participants over 55 with a family history of dementia starting in 2025 for further trials. Schulz expressed pride in UTHealth's role: "We can also be very proud of everybody here at UTHealth Houston and all of our patients that have been involved in these trials."
Frankel hopes her participation will inspire others: "My hope for being part of this is that it will be a notable treatment for other folks and that there is hope for those who recognize their symptoms early."
