AC Immune and Genentech enter into second collaboration

AC Immune SA, today announced that it has entered into a second exclusive worldwide license agreement and research collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) for the research, development and commercialization of AC Immune’s anti-Tau antibodies for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, AC Immune will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible to receive research, development and commercialization milestone payments totalling more than Swiss Francs 400 million (approximately USD 418 million*) for Alzheimer´s disease and other indications. Additionally, AC Immune is eligible to receive royalties on net sales of products resulting from the collaboration. Under the multi-year joint research collaboration, AC Immune will work in partnership with Genentech to identify and formulate several pre-clinical candidates. Genentech will have global responsibility for pre-clinical and clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of antibodies resulting from the collaboration.

“This second licensing deal gives us financial security to continue AC Immune’s world-leading efforts to develop disease modifying therapies and diagnostics. We are now recognized as having one of the broadest and most advanced Alzheimer’s pipelines in the industry”, remarked Martin Velasco, Chairman of The Board of AC Immune.

Commenting on the deal, James Sabry, Genentech’s Vice President of Partnering, said: “Genentech is committed to bringing innovative treatments to patients suffering from devastating neurodegenerative diseases, and is developing a number of approaches to tackle Alzheimer’s disease. The addition of this anti-Tau program to our CNS pipeline complements other approaches we are investigating, including crenezumab which we in-licensed from AC Immune in 2006.”

AC Immune SA is a Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company and a leader in Alzheimer´s disease drug development. AC Immune develops innovative therapeutics with “best in class” potential against Alzheimer´s disease and other conformational diseases along three axes: vaccines, antibodies and small molecules. Since its foundation in 2003, AC Immune has raised CHF 64 million from private investors.