PET scan of a healthy brain compared to a brain at an early stage of Alzheimer's disease|Institut Douglas|CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Researchers have discovered a new drug to slow down brain decline in those suffering from Alzheimer’s, giving hope to new ways of treating the condition. But the drug comes with serious risks.

The clinical trial found that out of the 1,800 early-stage Alzheimer’s patients, those who received the drug lecanemab by Eisai and Biogen showed a reduced rate of cognitive decline by 27% compared to placebo over 18 months.

But nearly 13% of patients in the trial receiving the drug experienced brain swelling and around 17% experienced brain bleeding.