Eisai is preparing to introduce its Alzheimer’s treatment, Leqembi, to the Chinese market in July, following approvals in Japan and the U.S. The drug, co-developed with Biogen, targets amyloid beta plaques in the brain, a major factor linked to Alzheimer’s, marking it as the first clinically proven treatment to slow the disease’s progression. With the Chinese National Medical Products Administration’s approval secured in January, Eisai projects revenue of 56.5 billion yen ($360 million) for the fiscal year ending March 2025.
China represents a significant market with an estimated 17 million potential patients. However, challenges such as the scarcity of PET scan facilities, essential for prescreening, could limit initial accessibility. Eisai plans to tackle these hurdles by leveraging an existing partnership with JD.com to facilitate referrals and screenings through an online service platform, which already boasts over 400,000 users and 6,000 registered physicians.
Eisai’s CEO, Haruo Naito, emphasized the need for innovative approaches in China, including industry collaborations and digital technologies, to make the treatment widely available. Furthermore, the company is working on a simpler blood test to detect amyloid beta, which could significantly broaden lecanemab’s reach, especially in developing regions where traditional screening tools are sparse.
As the global dementia population is expected to triple by 2050, Eisai is positioning lecanemab not just for immediate commercial success but as a long-term, worldwide solution to one of the most pressing health challenges of the aging global population.
