The Alzheimer's Society Cymru has responded to the approval of a new Alzheimer's treatment.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced on Wednesday, October 23, that it has approved the drug donanemab.

The drug is a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not recommended that donanemab is approved for use on the NHS.

The Alzheimer's Society, the UK's largest dementia charity, has responded to the news.

The charity funded research 30 years ago that identified the role of the amyloid plaques targeted by donanemab in Alzheimer's disease.

Gemma Roberts, national influencing manager for Alzheimer's Society in Wales, said: "Disease-modifying treatments like donanemab and lecanemab offer a new horizon of hope in the fight against dementia.

"Today’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) approval of a second treatment marks another significant milestone in this journey, but this comes alongside a draft National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) decision not to recommend donanemab for use on the NHS, a decision which applies to both Wales and England.

"While this will be disheartening to many, we respect the decision of the regulators."

Ms Roberts also highlighted the need for improvements in dementia diagnosis rates in Wales, noting that only 56 per cent of people living with dementia in Wales have a diagnosis.

She said: "This means they can’t access existing dementia treatments and interventions to help manage their symptoms today, or confirm their eligibility for the disease-modifying treatments of tomorrow, so we need urgent action to improve dementia diagnosis rates in Wales.

"Radical changes are needed to the diagnostic pathway to deliver new treatments.

"To be ready for these, we must see significant, long-term investment in diagnosis infrastructure and the workforce needed to ensure that everyone with dementia can access an early and accurate diagnosis and the treatment and care that should come with it.

"These changes will take time, so healthcare systems must start now."

Ms Roberts highlighted that around 20 drugs are in late-stage trials for effectiveness on Alzheimer's.