The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 long-term extension study confirms that donanemab continues to offer significant benefits over three years, especially when treatment begins early, with a safety profile comparable to earlier phases.

Experts like Dr. Reiman and Dr. Edelmayer emphasize that these results reinforce donanemab as a disease-modifying therapy, highlighting the importance of early intervention and ongoing monitoring, including MRI scans for ARIA, particularly in APOE-ε4 carriers.

Funded by Eli Lilly and presented at AAIC 2025, the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 trial underscores the company's role in advancing Alzheimer’s research.

The study's findings are supported by efforts like the ALZ-NET network, which aims to gather real-world data to improve treatment practices, health equity, and patient outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease.

Long-term data shows that early treatment with donanemab results in sustained amyloid clearance in over 75% of patients, with a slow reaccumulation rate of about 2.5 CL/y, and no new safety concerns during extended follow-up.

Patients who started donanemab later, after progressing to moderate Alzheimer’s, still experienced meaningful benefits, emphasizing the value of early diagnosis and treatment.

Participants who began donanemab early had a 27% reduced risk of disease progression compared to those who started later, with benefits increasing over time, including a 1.2-point reduction in cognitive decline on the CDR-SB scale after three years.