In a significant development for Alzheimer's disease research, AstraZeneca has partnered with Eli Lilly to advance the development of AZD3293, an oral beta secretase cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitor. The collaboration, valued at $500 million in development and regulatory milestone payments to AstraZeneca, aims to accelerate the progression of this promising candidate into phase 2/3 trials for early Alzheimer's disease.
Strategic Partnership Details
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will equally share development and commercialization costs, as well as future global revenues. Lilly will spearhead the clinical development efforts in collaboration with AstraZeneca's Innovative Medicines Unit for neuroscience, while AstraZeneca will maintain responsibility for manufacturing operations.
Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President of Innovative Medicines & Early Development at AstraZeneca, emphasized the significance of the alliance: "Alzheimer's disease is one of the biggest challenges facing medical science today, and BACE inhibitors have the potential to target one of the key drivers of disease progression."
Scientific Rationale and Mechanism
The development of AZD3293 focuses on a crucial aspect of Alzheimer's pathology - the accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brain. BACE, an enzyme associated with amyloid beta formation, represents a promising therapeutic target. By inhibiting BACE, researchers hope to prevent plaque formation and potentially slow disease progression.
This approach gains particular significance given the historical challenges in Alzheimer's drug development. Previous therapeutic attempts, including Lilly's gamma secretase inhibitor semagacestat and Pfizer/J&J's bapineuzumab, have faced setbacks in clinical trials.
Competitive Landscape
The BACE inhibitor field remains active, with Merck's MK-8931 currently undergoing phase 2/3 studies in mild to moderate Alzheimer's patients. Notably, Lilly's previous BACE inhibitor, LY2886721, was discontinued in 2013 due to liver safety concerns, though these issues were not believed to be mechanism-related.
Strategic Implications
For AstraZeneca, this partnership allows for risk-sharing while leveraging Lilly's extensive experience in Alzheimer's research. David Ricks, president of Lilly Bio-Medicines, reinforced their commitment: "Lilly has been committed to research in Alzheimer's disease for more than 25 years, and we're dedicated to developing new medicines that can change and modify the course of this devastating disease."
The collaboration aligns with Lilly's ambitious goal of making Alzheimer's dementia preventable by 2025. This partnership represents a strategic approach to addressing one of medicine's most challenging diseases, combining scientific expertise and resources to potentially deliver a breakthrough treatment for early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
