聲稱可延緩阿爾茨海默病進程的藥物獲FDA批準

胡靜

In early July， FDA granted traditional full approval of Leqembi for the treatment of Alzheimers disease （AD）. This is the first approved medication proven to slow the progression of ADs clinical symptoms. A phase three trial among 50- to 90-year-old patients with early AD showed that it can do so by about 27% over an 18-month period. While we cannot extrapolate（推斷） beyond 18 months， this represents about a six-month delay in progression of AD symptoms.

A second disease-slowing drug， donanemab， has recently shown similar effects and may get FDA approval by the end of the year. The development of Leqembi is a notable success for medical science in that a disease previously impervious to any disease-modifying medical intervention now has an available， effective treatment. However， paraphrasing Winston Churchill， this is not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning. The drug does not reverse disease symptoms or prevent progression， it slows progression. And there are considerations that make it inappropriate for many patients with AD. It does， however， lay the groundwork for future AD medications that could alleviate（減輕） suffering from this devastating disease for generations to come.

An important factor for new drugs is their cost. Leqembis price tag is $26，500 per year—much more than the current symptomatic medications for AD but comparable or less expensive than new medications for other conditions， for example multiple sclerosis or ALS.

Medicare has announced that it will provide coverage for this medication， although it is requiring that physicians perform certain clinical measures and enter the patients data in a registry in order for the drug to be covered， which will increase physician and patient burdens. Whats more， traditional Medicare only covers 80% of outpatient costs， so for those patients without supplemental insurance， a 20% copay for the drug and required MRI scans（核磁共振掃描） might amount to up to $10，000 or more per year out of pocket， but still only a fraction of the cost of a year of in a nursing home.

（材料來自CNN網站，有刪改）

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs？

A. Leqembi can make a six-month delay of ADs symptoms over a two-year period.

B. To some degree， Leqembi is effective to slow the progression of AD symptoms.

C. Both donanemab and Leqembi have got FDA approval.

D. The drug is appropriate for any patient with AD.

2. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 means _____ in the passage.

A. although the new drug has undergone trials， it is still not effective enough

B. though Leqembi is proven to slow the progression of ADs symptoms， we still have a long way to go

C. the research of the Leqembi will come to an end

D. some others problems related to the the medicine have been caused

3. Leqembis price is _____ according to the passage.

A. much cheaper than other medications for AD

B. much more than current medications for other conditions

C. affordable to almost every patient

D. cheaper than new medications for ALS

4. Medicare will provide coverage for this medication on condition that _____.

A. physician and patient burdens are increased

B. patients do not have supplemental insurance

C. patients data is registered and clinical measures are carried out by doctors

D. patients pay the cost of a year of in a nursing home

1. B。解析：細節理解題。根據材料第一段中的實驗結果和第二段中的“The drug does not reverse disease symptoms or prevent progression， it slows progression.”，我們可知這種藥物不能逆轉疾病癥狀或阻止病情發展，但它可以減緩病情進展。故選B。

2. B。解析：句意猜測題。根據材料第二段中的“And there are considerations that make it inappropriate for many patients with AD. It does， however， lay the groundwork for future AD medications that could alleviate suffering from this devastating disease for generations to come.”，我們可知雖然Leqembi這一藥物能起到延緩病情的效果，但是目前其仍舊存在局限性。故選B。

3. D。解析：細節理解題。材料第三段提到：使用Leqembi的話，每年需花費26500美元，費用遠遠超過目前的對癥藥物，但這一費用與治療其他疾病（如多發性硬化或肌萎縮側索硬化）的新藥物價格相當或是比它們更便宜。故選D。

4. C。解析：細節理解題。根據材料最后一段中的“Medicare has announced that it will provide coverage for this medication， although it is requiring that physicians perform certain clinical measures and enter the patients data in a registry in order for the drug to be covered.”，我們可知承保條件是醫生執行某些臨床措施并錄入患者的數據。故選C。