The U.S. Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) will provide coverage of Eisai and Biogen's codeveloped anti-amyloid drug, Leqembi, for veterans living with early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
VHA healthcare professionals can prescribe Leqembi to veterans who fit the VHA's criteria and the U.S. FDA current label, Eisai shared in a press release. The news comes a month after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rejected a request to provide wider coverage for Leqembi on Medicare, instead applying the same restrictions as it did for Biogen's Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm. Last April, the CMS decided that it would only cover Aduhelm if those receiving it were participants in a clinical the trial.
Leqembi was approved in January under an Accelerated Approval pathway. Eisai and Biogen announced last week that the FDA had accepted their sBLA for approval under a traditional pathway. If approved under the traditional pathway, Eisai says it will share the additional data as it becomes available and continue discussions with the VHA. Leqembi's PDUFA date is currently set for July 6, 2023.
