The year 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark one in medicine,with breakthroughs ranging from potential disease-modifying Alzheimer’s therapies to the expanding clinical use of liquid biopsies for cancer detection and novel immunological treatments for neurological conditions.These scientific leaps are translating into longer lives and a better quality of life for many.
Mar Mendibe Bilbao, vice president and head of the Scientific Area of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), emphasized that the advances of 2025 “mark a before and after in the research of neurological diseases,” especially in Alzheimer’s, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and neuromuscular disorders like Myasthenia Gravis.
Alzheimer’s Treatment on the Horizon
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What are the most promising Alzheimer’s drugs of 2025? The drugs ‘lecanemab’ and ‘donanemab’ are leading the charge. In April, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended approval for marketing ‘lecanemab’ in Europe. The antibody ‘donanemab’ subsequently received EU authorization following a re-examination by the EMA. However, Mendibe Bilbao cautioned that actual availability will depend on individual countries’ decisions regarding evaluation, funding, and access.
The drug to prevent
Advances in Cancer Treatment
In the field of oncology, the integration of immunotherapy is proving to be a game-changer, particularly for cancers with high prevalence, such as breast and bladder cancer. “The key lies in improving disease-free survival in these patients, by using immunotherapy immediately after surgery, or in combination with preoperative chemoradiotherapy. This earlier use not only reduces the risk of recurrence, but also establishes a new standard of care by taking advantage of the immune system’s ability to eliminate tumor cells,” de Castro explained.
He also noted the increasing use of targeted therapies-monoclonal antibodies and specific inhibitors-demonstrating high efficacy in advanced tumors and prolonging survival. The role of this precision strategy in non-metastatic tumors is becoming increasingly clear, potentially preventing recurrences and increasing cure rates.
updated Vaccination Schedules and Obesity Treatments
Pilar Rodríguez Ledo, president of the Spanish Society of General and Family physicians (SEMG), pointed to the design of new vaccination schedules in adults and chronic patients as a key medical milestone.”The expansion and updating of vaccination indications against pathogens such as pneumococcus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and herpes zoster in adults, especially in older people and in patients with chronic diseases, represents a relevant advance in the prevention of serious complications, hospitalizations, and avoidable mortality.”
Rodríguez Ledo also highlighted new treatments for obesity and cardiometabolic risk as a driver of change in healthcare.”These treatments have shown clear benefits not only in weight loss, but also in the positive impact on the quality of life of patients, many of them regularly treated in primary Care.”
- Alzheimer’s drugs lecanemab and donanemab received European approval in 2025.
- The National ALS Registry is now a consolidated national database.
- Liquid biopsy is increasingly used for cancer prognosis and treatment decisions.
- New vaccination schedules are expanding protection for adults and chronic patients.
- Treatments for obesity and cardiometabolic risk are improving patient quality of life.
