AC Immune SA has strengthened its long-standing partnership with Eli Lilly and Company through an amendment to their 2018 collaboration agreement, advancing efforts to develop novel treatments targeting Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
The updated agreement focuses on the continued research and development of small molecule therapies designed to inhibit the aggregation of Tau proteins, a key pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, the collaboration will now include the development of new lead candidates and backup compounds from AC Immune’s proprietary Morphomer® platform, which is engineered to target intracellular Tau.
Tau proteins are known to form abnormal aggregates in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, contributing to disease progression. Increasing scientific evidence suggests that targeting these intracellular Tau aggregates could slow, or potentially halt, the underlying pathology of such conditions.
AC Immune’s Morphomer candidates are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier when administered orally and selectively bind to disease-associated forms of the Tau protein. Preclinical data generated by the company indicate that these compounds may effectively inhibit Tau aggregation and prevent the spread of pathological proteins across different stages of disease progression.
Under the terms of the amended agreement, AC Immune will receive an upfront payment of CHF10 million, along with an additional milestone payment upon the initiation of Phase 1 clinical dosing. The company also remains eligible for significant future payments tied to development, regulatory approvals, and commercial success, which could exceed CHF1.7 billion. In addition, AC Immune is entitled to tiered royalties in the low double digits on any future product sales.
Company leadership emphasized the importance of the collaboration in advancing precision therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The partnership is expected to accelerate the transition of promising candidates into clinical development, with Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies anticipated to begin soon.
For Eli Lilly, the expanded agreement reflects its continued investment in Alzheimer’s research, an area of significant unmet medical need despite decades of scientific effort. For AC Immune, the deal reinforces the potential of its Morphomer platform as a differentiated approach to tackling complex neurological diseases.
The collaboration highlights the growing industry focus on targeting disease mechanisms at an earlier stage, with the aim of not only treating symptoms but also preventing disease progression in patients at risk of Alzheimer’s and related conditions.