Roche has ceased its Alzheimer's disease partnership with UCB, returning the rights to bepranemab, a Phase 2a candidate. This decision marks Roche's second termination of an Alzheimer's collaboration this year, following the return of two failed projects to AC Immune in January. The move signals a recalibration of Roche's strategy in the challenging Alzheimer's therapeutic landscape.
The collaboration between UCB and Roche's Genentech subsidiary, initiated in July 2020, aimed to develop bepranemab (formerly UCB0107). The agreement included an upfront payment of $120 million to UCB, with potential milestone payments reaching up to $2 billion. However, Roche's recent announcement indicates a shift in priorities.
The termination was revealed alongside UCB's announcement of the acceptance of an abstract for a Phase 2a trial of bepranemab at the Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Conference 2024. UCB confirmed that the rights to the drug were returned following the agreement's termination, without providing further details.
Roche had previously indicated that bepranemab was targeted for regulatory filing in 2027 or later, as of its first-quarter results presentation in April. However, the drug was notably absent from the company's second-quarter results presentation, hinting at the impending change.
Roche's Broader Alzheimer's Strategy
Roche's history in Alzheimer's drug development includes the setback of gantenerumab, an anti-amyloid beta antibody developed in collaboration with Morphosys AG, which failed in Phase III trials in 2022. Despite these challenges, Roche remains committed to Alzheimer's research, particularly in early diagnosis. The company is also advancing other early-stage assets, including RG6289 and trontinemab, with trontinemab showing promising Phase Ib/IIa data in March, demonstrating a "rapid and robust" impact on amyloid plaque reduction.
Competitive Landscape
The Alzheimer's treatment landscape has seen recent advancements with the approval of anti-amyloid antibodies like Eisai/Biogen's Leqembi and Eli Lilly's donanemab, offering new treatment options for the disease. These developments may influence the strategic decisions of companies like Roche as they navigate the complexities of Alzheimer's drug development.
