Asia Tech Wire (Sep 25) -- Eli Lilly and Company said Tuesday that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved its drug donanemab-azbt for Alzheimer's disease.

The approval provides Japanese patients with a new treatment option after Eisai and Biogen's Leqembi.

Japan is the second major market in which donanemab-azbt has been approved, after the drug was launched in the U.S. under the brand name Kisunla.

Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) is administered via a single monthly infusion for the treatment of adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease.

Like Leqembi, Kisunla is designed to clear beta-amyloid proteins in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease.