Seoul St. Mary's Hospital Reaches 200-Case Milestone in Alzheimer's Antibody Therapy
Key Insights
Seoul St. Mary's Hospital has administered 200 antibody therapy treatments for Alzheimer's disease (search) as of May, marking a significant clinical milestone.
The hospital operates a dual-department model with neurology and psychiatry serving as independent prescribing departments within a shared diagnostic infrastructure.
Patient care spans from precision diagnosis using amyloid PET to regular MRI safety monitoring and intravenous infusion, supported by radiology, nuclear medicine, and laboratory medicine.
Seoul St. Mary's Hospital announced on the 1st that, as of May, it has performed 200 cases of antibody therapy aimed at slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease (search). This milestone reflects the hospital's structured approach to delivering disease-modifying treatment through a coordinated, multidisciplinary framework.
The achievement was made possible by operating treatment with neurology and psychiatry each serving as independent prescribing departments. Based on the hospital's shared infrastructure—including radiology, nuclear medicine, laboratory medicine, and the nursing department—the two clinical departments provide patient care within the same support system, from precision diagnosis using amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) to regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) safety monitoring and intravenous infusion environments.
Currently, six faculty members are engaged in patient care: Professors Dong-Won Yang, Bora Yoon, and Hyuk-Je Lee from the Department of Neurology, alongside Professors Chang Wook Lee, Dong-Woo Kang, and Ki-Hwan Byun from the Department of Psychiatry. This dual-department structure allows for comprehensive evaluation and management of patients receiving antibody-based Alzheimer's treatment.
The integration of amyloid PET imaging for precision diagnosis represents a critical component of the treatment pathway, enabling clinicians to confirm the presence of amyloid pathology—a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (search)—before initiating antibody therapy. Regular MRI monitoring further ensures patient safety by screening for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), a known potential adverse effect associated with this class of therapies.
The 200-case milestone underscores the growing clinical adoption of disease-modifying antibody treatments for Alzheimer's disease (search) in South Korea and highlights the importance of institutional infrastructure capable of supporting the complex diagnostic and monitoring requirements these therapies demand.