Our Partnering Strategy

At AC Immune, we seek to partner our product candidates at the right times, opportunistically capturing optimal value for our shareholders while balancing risk. Our partnering strategy:

  • reduces our investors’ exposure to risk, by partially monetizing assets at attractive deal terms
  • accelerates time to market by accessing external resources
  • preserves significant upside in the form of milestones and royalties
  • retains development and marketing rights for specific indications.

Going forward we intend to maintain leadership until late stage in order to maximize our value creation potential.

Our 2019 Tau Morphomer® partnership with Lilly is an excellent illustration of this strategy in action.

Indeed, our partnering track record with some of our most advanced first- and best-in-class product-candidates is exceptional for the high quality of our validating partners as well as the large amount of funds generated to date. Endorsement from these industry leaders underscores our scientific excellence and provides external validation for our proprietary technology platforms.

AC Immune Partmership Revenue | Pioneering Precision Medicine for neurodegenerative diseases

Over the years, our partnering activities have generated over CHF 300 million in funding for AC Immune; an amount similar to the total raised from investors. This strategy has significantly reduced our risk exposure and share capital dilution. Potential partners see the value of our wholly-owned product candidates in earlier stages of development which have historically been the drivers of cash revenues for the Company and its shareholders.

Going forward, as our experienced Team continues to leverage our discovery platforms, SupraAntigen® and Morphomer®, to discover and develop highly differentiated first- and best-in-class product candidates against the most promising novel targets in neurodegenerative diseases, we expect to continuously add new high value product-candidates to our pipeline.

Our Collaboration Partners

Genentech

We have two partnership agreements with Genentech Inc., a member of the Roche group: the first aiming to develop an antibody targeting misfolded amyloid beta (Abeta) and the second focusing on anti-Tau antibodies for use as immunotherapeutics and diagnostics. AC Immune will regain the rights to both antibodies, as announced on January 22nd, 2024, following the termination of these agreements (effective April 19th, 2024).

In 2006, AC Immune signed an exclusive out-licensing agreement for its anti-Abeta antibody program with Genentech, under which Genentech develops crenezumab for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Under the agreement with Genentech, we may become eligible to receive payments potentially greater than USD 340 (CHF 333) million, plus royalties. The Phase 2 development of crenezumab continues in a preventive trial of cognitively healthy individuals in Colombia with a risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer Prevention Initiative Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease (API ADAD) Colombia Trial.

In June 2012, AC Immune entered into a second exclusive worldwide license agreement and research collaboration with Genentech for the research, development and commercialization of anti-Tau antibodies for the potential treatment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The value of this exclusive, worldwide alliance is potentially greater than CHF 400 million, plus royalties.

 

http://www.gene.com/

Eli Lilly and Company

In December 2018, AC Immune and Eli Lilly and Company signed a license and collaboration agreement to research and develop Morphomer® Tau small molecule aggregation inhibitors, for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The collaboration combines AC Immune’s proprietary Morphomer® platform technology with Lilly’s clinical development expertise and commercial capabilities in central nervous system disorders. Under the agreement, AC Immune may become eligible to receive payments totaling up to approximately CHF 1.9 billion, plus royalties.

 

http://www.lilly.com/

Janssen Pharmaceuticals

In December 2014, AC Immune entered into a worldwide exclusive license agreement and research collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to develop and commercialize therapeutic vaccines targeting phosphorylated Tau, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and potentially other Tauopathies. The value of this partnership is potentially up to CHF 500 million, plus royalties.

 

http://www.janssen.com/

Life Molecular Imaging

In May 2014, AC Immune signed its first diagnostic partnership, with Life Molecular Imaging SA (formerly Piramal Imaging SA). This exclusive worldwide out-licensing agreement for a Tau protein Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracer PI-2620 supporting the early diagnosis and clinical management of Alzheimer’s disease and other Tau-related disorders, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The agreement includes upfront and sales milestone payments totaling up to EUR 160 million, plus royalties.

 

https://life-mi.com

Our Broad and Diversified Pipeline

Our clinical stage pipeline uniquely integrates diagnostic and therapeutic candidates as well as different treatment modalities (such as antibodies, vaccines and small molecule drugs) against the most promising validated therapeutic targets.

AC Immune Robust Pipeline | Pioneering Precision Medicine for neurodegenerative diseases
AC Immune Our Partners | Pioneering Precision Medicine for neurodegenerative diseases
Our clinical Trials

We believe adaptive biomarker-based trial designs provide the necessary flexibility in an increasingly dynamic regulatory environment and shorten the time from bench to bedside.