Mission Based Media has launched “Rethinking Alzheimer’s Disease,” a podcast miniseries focused on the incurable disease. It is supported by Eisai, a Japanese biotechnology company that jointly developed the Alzheimer's disease drug Rekenbi with Biogen.
Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease focuses on the prevention and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and provides insights into caregiving and patient experiences. Published on the audio platform Health Unmuted.
In a press statement, Health Unmuted described “Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease” as “an engaging, narrative-style podcast miniseries for those curious and motivated to learn more about Alzheimer's disease.” We cover basic topics such as what Alzheimer's disease is and what causes it, and share tips on how listeners can reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or slow its progression.
“When most people think of Alzheimer's disease, they think of memory loss and aging,” Dan Kendall, founder of Mission Based Media and executive producer of Health Unmuted, said in a statement. . “However, research shows that the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can begin 15 to 20 years before symptoms appear. It means you have more time to work on it.”
In an era where more pharmaceutical companies are entering the narrative audio space, “Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease” represents Eisai's new approach to the world of podcasting. The company previously backed podcasts on metastatic breast cancer (“My BroadCast Companion”) and epilepsy (“I've Got This! Owning my Epilepsy”).
But Eisai's support for the Alzheimer's disease-focused series is a conscious decision to double down on support for Rekenbi following the implosion of the company's previous anti-amyloid treatment, Aduhhelm. is reflected. Rekenbi won full approval in the U.S. last July after the tumultuous rollout of Aduhhelm, which Eisai co-developed with Biogen.
Aduhhelm was initially seen as a potential blockbuster, but got off to a rocky start following a controversial Food and Drug Administration approval decision. In particular, experts expressed doubts about its clinical benefits and high price. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services subsequently limited Aduhhelm coverage to patients already participating in clinical trials.
In January, Biogen decided to cancel the entire program. The company announced that it will discontinue the development and commercialization of Aduhelm in order to fully focus on Rekenbi.
Despite Rekenbi's slower-than-expected rollout, Eisai said in an update in March that the drug would generate approximately $2 billion in worldwide revenue in fiscal 2026, with a potential of up to $8.8 billion by 2032. It said it expected to bring in revenue of $1.
According to Biogen's latest earnings report, Requembi generated revenue of $10 million in 2023.
