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 AbbVie said on Tuesday it was paying $205 million upfront and could
make a further $20 million equity investment to work with San
Francisco-based Alector on the new approach to tackling the
memory-robbing disease.
The idea of using immunotherapy in Alzheimer's mirrors the success
of immuno-oncology in cancer, where drugs that help the immune
system battle tumors are revolutionizing care.
Scientists at AbbVie and Alector believe there is growing evidence
that immune deficiencies within the central nervous system play an
important role in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders
like Alzheimer's.
"We anticipate that immuno-neurology therapies will have as much of
an impact on brain disorders as immuno-oncology is having on
cancer," said Alector's chief executive, Arnon Rosenthal.
The novel research effort comes against the backdrop of a series of
failures in other attempts to fight Alzheimer's, although the
development of immune-based treatments is still at a very early
stage.
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Under the terms of the agreement AbbVie and Alector have agreed to
research a portfolio of antibody targets and AbbVie has an option on
global development and commercial rights to two targets.
Assuming drugs from the program eventually make it to marker, the
two companies will share profits equally.
Alector was founded in 2013 and is backed by investors including
OrbiMed, Polaris, Google Ventures, Topspin Partners and Mission Bay
Capital, as well as drugmakers Merck, AbbVie and Amgen.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
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