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Leqembi vs. Kisunla

A myALZteam Member asked a question 💭
Gaithersburg, MD

My wife, with Stage 2 Alzheimer’s had Leqembi infusions for a few months. We wanted to switch her to Kisunla, for the convenience of once per month infusions. Her doc said she had to wait three months between stopping Leqembi and starting Kisunla. She will start Kisunla in two weeks.

We did not notice any improvement on the Leqembi, but it is impossible to compare day to day experiences on the drug and off the drug. My wife has declined a bit since being in the three-month gap between drugs… read more

November 21, 2025
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Be the first to react
A myALZteam Member

@A myALZteam Member: If I wasn’t in the midst of downsizing and moving, your question would send me (happily) down an investigatory path. Not having a lot of time right now to look for studies, etc., I asked A.I. for a response to this question:
leqembi vs kisunla for a patient with Alzheimer's plus Parkinson's

And this is what came back:

Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab) are both FDA-approved treatments for early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD), and neither is approved for Parkinson's disease.

They target amyloid-beta plaques specific to AD and are not effective for the protein build-ups seen in Parkinson's disease. A patient with both conditions would need to consult a specialist to determine the appropriate treatment plan for each disease.

Both Leqembi and Kisunla are monoclonal antibodies that work by clearing amyloid plaques from the brain to slow cognitive and functional decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's.

Considerations for a Patient with Both AD and Parkinson's Disease Specificity:

These drugs are specific to the underlying biology of Alzheimer's, which involves amyloid and tau proteins. Parkinson's disease involves a different protein (alpha-synuclein).

I hope this is helpful.

November 21, 2025 (edited)
A myALZteam Member

Even simple proven drugs like Prozac and Viagra have horrible side effects! Prozac affects you nerves and your back is vulnerable. Viagra blinds 8%! I lost vision in one eye for a few hours. The best way to cure Alzheimer’s is to search for the fountain of youth! You might not find it, but you can have a lot of fun looking!

November 22, 2025
myALZteam

What are the main differences between Leqembi and Kisunla in terms of effectiveness and risks?

Both Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab) are anti-amyloid therapies that work similarly by removing beta-amyloid plaques from the brain to slow cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer's. They're both FDA-approved and Show Full Answer

What are the main differences between Leqembi and Kisunla in terms of effectiveness and risks?

Both Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab) are anti-amyloid therapies that work similarly by removing beta-amyloid plaques from the brain to slow cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer's. They're both FDA-approved and can help slow disease progression, though neither is a cure.

Effectiveness:

Long-term studies show both drugs continue to slow cognitive decline over several years. After four years, about 56 percent of people on Leqembi improved or stayed stable in memory and daily functioning. With Kisunla, people who began treatment early had a 27 percent lower risk of progressing to the next stage of Alzheimer's after three years.

It's normal not to notice dramatic day-to-day improvements with these medications. They're designed to slow decline rather than reverse symptoms, making changes subtle and gradual.

Risk Differences:

The main safety concern for both is brain swelling or small bleeds (ARIA). About 20 percent of people taking Leqembi may develop this, compared to 35 percent with Kisunla. However, Kisunla offers a modified dosing schedule that can lower ARIA risk by as much as 41 percent.

Both require regular brain monitoring through MRI scans. Other potential side effects include headache, increased fall risk, and allergic reactions.

The three-month gap your doctor recommended was likely a safety precaution to ensure complete clearance before starting a new anti-amyloid therapy. Any decline during this period could be either natural disease progression or related to stopping treatment—it's genuinely difficult to distinguish.

November 21, 2025

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