Senators urge swift action to expand Medicare coverage for Alzheimer’s therapies
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A bipartisan group of 20 U.S. senators called on the Biden administration on Friday to broaden the Medicare coverage for FDA-authorized amyloid targeting monoclonal antibodies for Alzheimer's disease.
In April 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a national coverage determination (NCD) to restrict Medicare coverage for the drug class.
The decision came months after the FDA, under controversial circumstances, authorized Aduhelm, an anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody developed by Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) and Eisai (OTCPK:ESALF) (OTCPK:ESALY) for Alzheimer's. 
Other amyloid-targeting monoclonal antibodies include the duo's recently authorized Alzheimer's therapy, lecanemab and experimental therapies, donanemab from Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) and gantenerumab from Roche (OTCQX:RHHBF) (OTCQX:RHHBY) and MorphoSys (MORF) (OTCPK:MPSYF).
"Unless CMS reconsiders the April 2022 NCD, access to lecanemab and other disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease will be extremely limited," the group led by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) wrote in a letter to Health Secretary Xavier Becerra and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
"Given the progressive nature of this terminal disease, we encourage you to take steps now to ensure patients have immediate access to FDA-approved treatments if the patient and clinician decide it is right for the patient," they added.
In January, the FDA declined to consider accelerated approval for donanemab for Alzheimer's, and Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY) has faced several trial setbacks for gantenerumab.