AC Immune and Piramal Imaging have entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the research, development, and commercialization of AC Immune's Tau protein positron emission tomography (PET) tracers to support the diagnosis and clinical management of Alzheimer's disease and potential Tau-related disorders.
As part of the deal, AC Immune will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible for significant milestone payments on products achieving development goals in Alzheimer's and other Tauopathies. Additionally, AC Immune has agreed to receive tiered royalties on net sales of products resulting from the partnership. The company will collaborate with Piramal Imaging to advance several lead candidates through late preclinical radio-pharmacology development. Piramal Imaging will obtain global rights for clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization of a Tau-PET Tracer.
The formation of Tau tangles in the human brain is recognized as one of two major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease pathology, with the other being beta-amyloid plaques. The development of the Tau tangle pathology appears to correlate well with cognitive decline, making it a potential strong target for diagnostic approaches.
The agreement between the two companies is based on a long-term relationship in which AC Immune has used Piramal Imaging's beta-amyloid PET Tracer Neuraceq™ for imaging beta-amyloid plaques in the brain of patients undergoing Phase I/IIa clinical testing of AC Immune's Alzheimer's vaccine ACI-24. Neuraceq received marketing authorization from the FDA in March 19 for PET imaging of the brain to estimate beta-amyloid neuritic plaque density in adult patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's and other causes of cognitive decline.
