China approves subcutaneous Leqembi for early Alzheimer's treatment

China's drug regulator NMPA has approved the subcutaneous autoinjector version of Leqembi as a starting treatment for early Alzheimer's disease, announced by partner Eisai on September 3, 2026. This enables at-home weekly administration as an alternative to hospital-based intravenous infusions. The approved dosing is 500 mg once weekly via two 250 mg injections, with each injection taking about 15 seconds. Patients can switch between subcutaneous and intravenous administration. The approval was based on data from the Phase 3 Clarity AD study and subcutaneous substudies, showing similar efficacy and safety profiles to IV administration. China is the second country to approve this formulation, following the US. Eisai plans to launch it in China during its fiscal year ending March 31, 2027. An estimated 17 million patients in China had early Alzheimer's disease in 2024, with Leqembi first launched there in June 2024.