AC Immune Awarded New Grants from MJFF and Target ALS Supporting Programs Targeting TDP-43
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation grant supports the development of AC Immune’s first-in-class TDP-43 PET tracer program
- Target ALS Foundation grant supports collaboration between AC Immune and world-class institutions to accelerate the development of novel biofluid assays for detecting TDP-43-related neuropathology
Lausanne, Switzerland, February 7, 2023 – AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced prestigious new grants from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) and Target ALS Foundation (Target ALS) supporting research programs to enable diagnosis of TDP-43 (TAR DNA-binding protein 43), recognized as an important target in multiple neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and as a prominent co-pathology in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Dr. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune SA, commented: “It is an honor to have the support of MJFF and Target ALS, two leading international organizations that recognize the pressing need for diagnostics to detect pathological TDP-43. There is currently no single test to confirm the presence of TDP-43 pathology, and diagnosis is complicated by overlapping motor and clinical symptoms. We firmly believe that a sensitive and accurate diagnostic will represent a breakthrough for the field and will accelerate clinical development of therapeutic candidates against this novel target. Given the heterogeneity and irreversible nature of neurodegeneration, our Precision Medicine approach represents the most promising strategy to identify the right patients and treat them earlier.”
Dr. Jamie Eberling, Senior Vice President of Research Resources at MJFF, said: “Brain imaging agents uncovering aggregated pathological protein hold great promise to enable earlier and more accurate diagnosis of NDDs, and we are pleased to be expanding our relationship with AC Immune to support its TDP-43 tracer program. AC Immune and its collaborators recently demonstrated their expertise in developing cutting-edge PET imaging agents by providing the first images of alpha-synuclein. With this new grant, we hope to make similar progress in the development of a TDP-43-PET tracer.”
Dr. Manish Raisinghani, CEO of Target ALS, said: “We are delighted to support the collaborative consortium in which AC Immune is participating. Our approach to encourage multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaborations continues to accelerate ALS drug discovery. In a disease such as ALS, early diagnosis is critical for timely access to disease-modifying therapies. The development of a TDP-43 specific biofluid-based diagnostic test has the potential to more rapidly enable confirmed early diagnosis.”
The MJFF and Target ALS grants collectively provide more than USD 500,000 in additional non-dilutive capital to support the advancement of diagnostic programs targeting TDP-43. The MJFF grant will support AC Immune’s TDP-43 positron emission tomography (PET) tracer program, which could deliver the world’s first imaging agent capable of accurately detecting and monitoring the progression of TDP-43-related diseases. AC Immune’s TDP-43-PET tracers have demonstrated target engagement and selectivity on TDP-43 neuropathology in brain tissue and a clinical candidate is expected to be declared in H1 2023. The Target ALS grant supports a world-class consortium comprised of AC Immune, Barrow Neurological Institute, Kansas City University, and the International Center for Engineering and Biotechnology, which aims to accelerate the development of an immuno-assay to detect pathological species of TDP-43 in biofluids.
About AC Immune SA
AC Immune SA is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that aims to become a global leader in precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and NeuroOrphan indications driven by misfolded proteins. The Company’s two clinically validated technology platforms, SupraAntigen® and Morphomer®, fuel its broad and diversified pipeline of first- and best-in-class assets, which currently features ten therapeutic and three diagnostic candidates, five of which are currently in Phase 2 clinical trials and one of which is in Phase 3. AC Immune has a strong track record of securing strategic partnerships with leading global pharmaceutical companies including Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Eli Lilly and Company, and others, resulting in substantial non-dilutive funding to advance its proprietary programs and >$3 billion in potential milestone payments.
SupraAntigen® is a registered trademark of AC Immune SA in the following territories: AU, EU, CH, GB, JP, RU, SG and USA. Morphomer® is a registered trademark of AC Immune SA in CN, CH, GB, JP, KR, NO and RU.
The information on our website and any other websites referenced herein is expressly not incorporated by reference into, and does not constitute a part of, this press release.
For further information, please contact:
| Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Gary Waanders, Ph.D., MBA AC Immune Phone: +41 21 345 91 91 Email: gary.waanders@acimmune.com | U.S. Investors Corey Davis, Ph.D. LifeSci Advisors Phone: +1 212 915 2577 Email: cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com | |
| International Media Chris Maggos Cohesion Bureau Phone: +41 79 367 6254 Email: chris.maggos@cohesionbureau.com | ||
Forward looking statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical fact and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or AC Immune’s strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “outlook” or “continue,” and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include those described under the captions “Item 3. Key Information – Risk Factors” and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” in AC Immune’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These include: the impact of Covid-19 on our business, suppliers, patients and employees and any other impact of Covid-19. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and AC Immune does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Attachment
