Takeda and AC Immune SA entered an exclusive, worldwide option and license agreement for AC Immune’s active immunotherapies targeting toxic forms of amyloid beta (Abeta), including ACI-24.060 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
Under the agreement, AC Immune will receive $100 million upfront and is eligible to receive an option exercise fee and additional potential development, commercial and sales-based milestones of up to approximately $2.1 billion if all related milestones are achieved. Upon commercialization, AC Immune will be entitled to receive royalties on worldwide sales.
 
ACI-24.060 is an anti-Abeta active immunotherapy candidate designed to induce a robust antibody response against the toxic forms of Abeta believed to drive plaque formation and Alzheimer’s disease progression. By inducing plaque clearance and inhibiting plaque formation in the brain, ACI-24.060 has the potential to delay or slow Alzheimer’s disease progression. ACI-24.060 is being investigated in the ongoing ABATE Phase 1b/2 trial to assess the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and pharmacodynamic effects of the investigational immunotherapy in subjects with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease and in adults with Down syndrome.
 
AC Immune will be responsible for completing the ABATE trial. Following option exercise, Takeda would conduct and fund all further clinical development and be responsible for all global regulatory activities as well as worldwide commercialization.
 
Dr. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune. “This agreement allows us to leverage the developmental expertise, strategic vision and financial capacity of an accomplished organization that has demonstrated its ability to execute the type of comprehensive global program required for Phase 3 trials in Alzheimer’s disease while allowing us to focus on completing Phase 1b/2 development and accelerating our efforts to replicate this success with enhanced funding for our early-stage pipeline.”
 
Sarah Sheikh, Head, Neuroscience Therapeutic Area Unit and Head, Global Development at Takeda, said, “Combining AC Immune’s deep experience with active immunotherapy approaches with Takeda’s expertise in neuroscience drug development and commercialization, we have an incredible opportunity to deliver real impact to the Alzheimer’s community.”