People living with Alzheimer's disease and their care partners are forced to rethink what is meaningful to them as they navigate substantial changes in memory, personality, and relationships, as well as a loss of independence. At Eisai, our work is underpinned by our human health care (hhc) mission. We seek to understand life from the perspective of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and strive to address their needs.
Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that becomes more severe over time.1,2 It accounts for 60 – 80% of all dementia cases.3
As Alzheimer’s disease symptoms progress, they can have an increasing impact (socially, financially, emotionally, and physically) on the daily lives of those living with the disease and their loved ones.2,4
Alzheimer’s disease also poses significant challenges to health systems and wider society.2,5 In Europe, it affects 6.9 million people,2,6 and this figure is expected to nearly double by 2050, as ageing populations increase.7
At Eisai we are working hard to drive meaningful change for people living with Alzheimer’s disease, their loved ones, and wider society, as part of our pursuit for better brain health for all.
Through innovation and partnerships, we aim to be a part of the solution for a better future.
40 years of working in dementia
Our research in dementia started in the 1980s, and with four decades of knowledge and experience we have built an industry-leading pipeline for the next generation of dementia medicines.
We are investing in research that goes beyond treatments and spans from diagnostic tests to digital solutions, to improve the identification, screening, early diagnosis and management of AD.
Prioritising partnerships to achieve progress
Our experience has taught us that we cannot change the course of Alzheimer’s disease alone, and progress is accelerated through partnerships.
We are working with industry partners, academia, disease advocacy networks, and patient organisations and investing in partnerships and programmes to make a meaningful difference in the management and care of all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Advocating for earlier diagnosis
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging for several reasons. In Europe, approximately 50% of people living with dementia are undiagnosed.1 For those that are diagnosed, it is often at a later stage when symptoms are more severe.1
We recognise the value of early diagnosis and its role in improving outcomes for all. With an earlier diagnosis, interventions and support can be put in place to benefit those affected and provide more time to adjust and plan for the future.
A human health care (hhc) approach to neurology
People living with Alzheimer’s disease want to continue life in a way that is meaningful to them and their loved ones. By understanding what matters most to those impacted, meaningful changes can be made.
Eisai is committed to turning real-life insights into purpose-driven initiatives. We hope that by helping people to live fuller lives, we can help change the way the world sees Alzheimer’s disease.
1European Brain Council. 2021. Alzheimer’s Disease fact sheet. Available at: https://www.braincouncil.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A4-Alzheimers-Disease-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf. Last accessed: June 2024.
2European Brain Council. 2023. Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease Detection and Diagnosis. Available at: https://www.braincouncil.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/RETHINK-AlzheimerDisease-Report_DEF3_HD_rvb_03042023.pdf. Last accessed: June 2024.
3Alzheimer’s Society. 2024. The economic impact of dementia. Available at: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/the-annual-costs-of-dementia.pdf. Last accessed: June 2024.
4Koca, E., et al. Caregiver Burden in Different Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Archives of Neuropsychiatry. 2017;54(1):82–86. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439478/.
5Meijer E., et al. Economic costs of dementia in 11 countries in Europe: Estimates from nationally representative cohorts of a panel study. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2022;20:100445.
6Gustavsson, A., et al. Global estimates on the number of persons across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2023;19:658-670. https://alz journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12694.
7Alzheimer Europe. Prevalence of dementia in Europe. Available at: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/dementia/prevalence-dementia-europe. Last accessed: June 2024.
