A new drug called lecanemab could change the course of treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, after results from clinical trials showed it slowed the rate of cognitive decline in study participants by 27% over 18 months.

Brittany Grego, media relations and digital media specialist for the Alzheimer's Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter, said this treatment, like many others for the disease, buys people more time against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

“These treatments are not cures, but they would help ease the symptoms and from what the research is saying, it could give more time to plan,” she said.