Eli Lilly Alzheimer’s drug set to face same fate as Biogen’s in U.K.: report

Shortly after a U.K. watchdog declined to endorse Biogen’s (NASDAQ:BIIB) Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi for use in the country’s national health service (NHS), The Telegraph reported Saturday that their Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) will face the same fate for its drug, donanemab.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which sets drug policy for the NHS, issued draft guidance on Friday, noting that the use of Leqembi in the NHS would not be a cost-effective way of spending taxpayer money.

Its rebuke came shortly after the U.K. drug regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), approved the anti-amyloid infusion, making Great Britain the first European country to approve the therapy.

However, citing health sources, the newspaper said that the NHS would “definitely” reject LLY’s drug, donanemab.

Based on the drug’s side effect profile, the paper added that the MHRA may not even approve donanemab, which requires a monthly administration as opposed to Leqembi’s biweekly regimen.

“Now that Nice has rejected lecanemab, it definitely will not approve donanemab, which also has twice the risk of serious side effects,” a source said.

Branded in the U.S. as Kisunla, donanemab has a similar mechanism but is likely to be even more expensive with an annual price tag of £25K, 25% higher than Leqembi’s.

Eli Lilly (LLY) and Biogen’s partner for Leqembi Eisai (OTCPK:ESALF) (OTCPK:ESAIY) have yet to respond to comments. MHRA and NICE declined to comment on ongoing reviews.