People with early Alzheimer's in the U.S. can now receive Leqembi (lecanemab) at home for the entire course of treatment. The FDA has authorized the under-the-skin formulation, sold as Leqembi Iqlik, for the initiation phase covering the first 18 months of therapy, adding to its earlier clearance for maintenance dosing.
Leqembi is approved for adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's. The original version is given as an intravenous infusion every two weeks for the first 18 months, then every four weeks after that - a schedule that normally requires repeated trips to a hospital or dedicated infusion center. Biogen and Eisai, the companies behind the therapy, developed the injectable version to reduce that logistical load. It uses an autoinjector, a device that delivers a set dose at the press of a button.
The practical difference is significant for families. Fortnightly infusions over a year and a half mean transportation, time off work for care partners, and access to a facility that offers the service - obstacles that are particularly acute for people in rural areas or those who cannot easily travel. Removing the infusion chair from the equation for the whole treatment period, rather than only after 18 months, changes who can realistically start and stay on the drug.
Until now, patients who wanted the at-home option still had to complete a year and a half of clinic-based infusions before switching. The FDA's expanded authorization closes that gap, making Leqembi Iqlik an option from the first dose onward.