AC Immune’s PI-2620 Tau-PET Diagnostic in Phase 3 Receives Fast Track Designation in Three Neurodegenerative Conditions
- PI-2620 is in Phase 3 development in Alzheimer’s disease by AC Immune’s partner, LMI
- This Fast Track designation applies across Alzheimer’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration
- Follows two previous Fast Track designations for ACI-35.030 and ACI-24.060 active immunotherapies
- Affirms AC Immune’s leadership and commitment to bringing precision medicine to the management of neurodegenerative diseases
Lausanne, Switzerland, August 28, 2024 – AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering precision therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that its partner Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) has received Fast Track Designation for the Tau positron emission tomography (PET) diagnostic, [18F]PI-2620, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in three neurodegenerative conditions.
Fast Track designation for [18F]PI-2620 has been granted for clinical development in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD).
The FDA’s Fast Track program is designed to accelerate the development and review of drugs that address serious conditions and fulfill unmet medical needs. This designation underscores the broadening view in the medical community that early and accurate diagnoses of neurodegenerative disease may lead to improved outcomes, thanks to emerging treatments.
PI-2620 is a next-generation PET imaging agent currently in Phase 3 clinical development for detecting Tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease. The compound is also being investigated in other neurodegenerative diseases by many academic researchers and in drug development trials. Tau proteins are a hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders including AD, PSP, CBD, and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD), and accurately imaging the pathology could significantly enhance disease diagnosis and improve patient care.
Dr. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune SA, commented: “Fast Track designation for PI-2620 is an important reflection of its potential to accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Early diagnosis of these conditions will be key for effective treatment before irreversible damage occurs, and is an essential element in our goal of achieving precision prevention. The FDA has previously granted Fast Track status to two of our active immunotherapies in Phase 2 development, ACI-35.030 and ACI-24.060, which target phospho-Tau and Abeta, respectively. The designation for PI-2620 is a further recognition of AC Immune’s drug discovery and development platform and of how we, together with our partners, continue to drive innovation.”
About PI-2620
PI-2620 was discovered and developed as part of a research collaboration between AC Immune and LMI. LMI has the exclusive, worldwide license for research, development and commercialization of Tau-PET tracers generated within the discovery program. It has demonstrated robust brain uptake and fast wash-out in non-target regions, a broad imaging window between 30- and 90-minutes post-injection for AD, and excellent reproducibility between test and retest scans. The absence of significant off-target binding enables PI-2620 to detect and quantify early Tau deposition in the brain, a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. PI-2620 is currently under investigation in several clinical studies as a targeted radiopharmaceutical for the detection of Tau deposits in the human brain. PI-2620 also shows promise for non-AD tauopathies like progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS).
About AC Immune SA
AC Immune SA is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and a global leader in precision prevention 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 sixteen therapeutic and diagnostic programs, including five in Phase 2 development and one in Phase 3. AC Immune has a strong track record of securing strategic partnerships with leading global pharmaceutical companies, resulting in substantial non-dilutive funding to advance its proprietary programs and >$4.5 billion in potential milestone payments plus royalties.
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.
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