World’s First At-Home Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab Auto-injector Arrives at Lecheng

On August 5, under the leadership of the neurology team at Ruijin Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine – including Chief Physicians Liu Jun, Tang Huidong, and Kang Wenyan – the world’s first anti‑amyloid‑beta (Aβ) drug designed for at‑home subcutaneous self‑administration received approval through the Boao Lecheng “pioneering pilot” policy. The drug is now available at Ruijin Hainan Hospital (Hainan Boao Research Hospital), a branch of Ruijin Hospital located within the Lecheng Pilot Zone.

Approved for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment due to early‑stage Alzheimer’s disease and mild Alzheimer’s dementia, this subcutaneous auto‑injector formulation represents a significant advance in patient convenience. Notably, the drug received U.S. approval on July 13, and its introduction at Ruijin Hainan Hospital followed just days later, enabling near‑simultaneous access to this cutting‑edge therapy.

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the abnormal deposition of Aβ in the brain and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, leading to progressive neuronal damage, cognitive decline, and loss of daily functioning. The disease has a long, insidious course lasting over a decade. The early stage – including mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia – is a critical window for intervention, as patients often present with memory decline, slowed thinking, and impaired expression. Missing this window allows the disease to progress, imposing substantial caregiving burdens on families and society.

According to the China Alzheimer’s Disease Report 2025, China has nearly 17 million patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – a prevalence rate higher than the global average, with risk increasing steadily with age. Projections indicate that by 2060, the number of Alzheimer’s and related dementia patients in China could reach 49.89 million, placing an ever‑growing economic burden on the healthcare system.

Despite the large patient population, clinical management of early‑stage Alzheimer’s in China faces significant challenges. Currently, most anti‑Aβ therapies for early Alzheimer’s are administered via intravenous infusion, requiring patients to travel regularly to hospitals – a time‑consuming and costly process that often undermines treatment adherence. The introduction of lecanemab subcutaneous auto‑injector directly addresses this clinical bottleneck.

Lecanemab is the first fully approved monoclonal antibody that targets the underlying pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease. It works by clearing toxic Aβ from the brain, thereby slowing disease progression. The subcutaneous auto‑injector formulation, enabled by innovations in delivery technology and formulation design, significantly enhances treatment flexibility. The standard regimen is 500 mg per week, administered as two 250‑mg injections; each injection can be completed in as little as 15 seconds. After proper training, patients can self‑administer the drug at home, eliminating the need for frequent hospital visits and freeing up healthcare resources previously dedicated to intravenous infusions.

This transition from intravenous infusion to subcutaneous auto‑injection represents a fundamental shift in treatment delivery, with the potential to improve adherence, support long‑term disease management, and ultimately benefit a larger population of early‑stage Alzheimer’s patients.