BioArctic co-promotes Leqembi with its partner Eisai in the Nordic countries, and this marks an important strategic step for BioArctic on the company’s journey towards building Sweden’s next major pharmaceutical company, it states.

It is great to see that this innovation, based on Professor Lars Lannfelts research at Uppsala University here in Sweden, is finally, after more than 20 years of research and development, beginning to help patients close to where it all started.

“I am very happy that we are now starting to help people diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s disease also in the Nordic countries. There is a significant unmet need for new treatment options that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease from its early stage, and to reduce the overall burden on people affected by Alzheimer’s disease, as well as care partners and society,” says Gunilla Osswald, CEO at BioArctic. “It is great to see that this innovation, based on Professor Lars Lannfelts research at Uppsala University here in Sweden, is finally, after more than 20 years of research and development, beginning to help patients close to where it all started.”

The first therapy that targets an underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease

Leqembi received the European Commission (EC) approval in April 2025 as the first therapy that targets an underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia due to AD (early AD) who are apolipoprotein E ε4 non-carriers or heterozygotes with confirmed amyloid pathology.

Finland

Following the EC approval, BioArctic and Eisai have been collaborating with the Nordic healthcare authorities to implement the mandatory authorisation requirements. The required controlled access program is now in place in Finland, enabling private clinics such as Terveystalo Ruoholahti, where the first patient was treated, to help patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. In the meantime, Leqembi is under assessment for inclusion in the publicly funded health care system.

Collaboration between BioArctic and Eisai

Leqembi is the result of a long-standing collaboration between BioArctic and Eisai, and the antibody was originally developed by BioArctic based on the work of Professor Lars Lannfelt and his discovery of the Arctic mutation in Alzheimer’s disease. Eisai is responsible for the clinical development, applications for market approval and commercialization of Leqembi for Alzheimer’s disease. BioArctic has the right to commercialize Leqembi in the Nordic region together with Eisai and the two companies are preparing for a joint commercialization in the region.