Clinical Policy Bulletin: Alzheimer's Disease: Experimental Treatments

Policy Aetna considers the following treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) experimental and investigational because their effectiveness for this indication has not been established (not an all inclusive list). Adoptive imunotherapy (see CPB 0641-Adoptive Immunotherapy and and Cellular Therapy) Applied behavior analysis Bapineuzumab Beta-amyloid degrading enzymes including cathepsin B, neprilysin, and neprilysin-2 Celecoxib (Celebrex) Continuous drainage of cerebral spinal fluid Deep brain stimulation (see CPB 0208-Deep Brain Stimulation) Etanercept (Enbrel) (see CPB 0315-Enbrel (Etanercept)) Growth hormone secretagogues (see CPB 0170-Growth Hormone (GH) and Growth Hormone Antagonists) Hormone replacement therapy/estrogen replacement therapy (for women with AD) Huperzine A Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (see CPB 0172-Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)) Indomethacin Insulin (nasal spray) Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) (see CPB 0206-Parenteral Immunoglobulins) Leuprolide (CPB 0501-Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogs and Antagonists) Light therapy Metal protein attenuating compounds (e.g., clioquinol) Methylthioninium chloride Mifepristone (RU 486) (see CPB 0465-Mifepristone (RU486)) Naproxen PBT2 (a metal-protein attenuating compound) Plasma exchange and hemapheresis Semagacestat Solanezumab Statins Stem cell therapy (including bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells) Tarenflurbil Transcranial magnetic stimulation/direct current stimulation (see CPB 0469-Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Cranial Electrical Stimulation) Vaccine therapy (e.g., active and passive amyloid vaccines) Vagus nerve stimulation (see CPB 0191-Vagus Nerve Stimulation).