Roche and its unit Genentech have agreed to a global, exclusive licence agreement with Belgian company UCB to develop and commercialise an antibody treatment, UCB0107, for Alzheimer’s disease.
UCB0107 is an investigational monoclonal antibody that targets a central Tau epitope to inhibit or mitigate the spread of Tau pathology. It is being developed to potentially treat tauopathies such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Alzheimer’s.
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As part of the agreement, UCB will provide Roche and Genentech with an exclusive licence to develop and commercialise the drug candidate in Alzheimer’s indication.
UCB executive vice-president Charl van Zyl said: “We are excited that Roche and Genentech, with their deep and wide-ranging expertise, capacity and know-how in Alzheimer’s disease, will collaborate with UCB on UCB0107 with a shared ambition to offer people living with Alzheimer’s disease a new treatment option.”
Under the deal, UCB will get an initial upfront payment of $120m.
UCB will finance and conduct a proof-of-concept clinical trial in AD and after the study results are obtained, Genentech can choose to carry out the development or return full rights back to UCB.
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By GlobalDataIf Genentech decides to take up responsibility for further clinical development, UCB may receive cost reimbursement, development and sales milestones, as well as sales royalties, valued at a total of approximately $2bn.
Roche Pharma Partnering global head James Sabry said: “Our commitment remains strong on exploring multiple approaches with the hope that our research and development, including this collaboration with UCB, will lead to a disease-modifying medicine that could positively impact millions of people with Alzheimer’s disease.”
The transaction is subject to anti-trust clearance and other customary closing conditions.
Earlier this month, Roche forged a licensing and collaboration agreement with Blueprint Medicines for exclusive rights to co-develop and commercialise the latter’s cancer drug, pralsetinib, outside the US, except in Greater China.
As part of the deal, Blueprint Medicines and Roche unit Genentech will co-commercialise the cancer drug in the US.
