An experimental and closely watched medicine for Alzheimer’s disease is one step closer to approval, after receiving support from a panel of experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration.

On Monday, the panel unanimously voted that the medicine, developed by Eli Lilly and known as donanemab, appears to be an effective treatment for certain Alzheimer’s patients. The experts also concluded, by an 11-0 vote, that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, despite some safety concerns.

“I thought the evidence is very strong and the trials [show] the effectiveness of the drug,” said Dean Follman, a panelist and assistant director of biostatistics at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.