Lonza to produce Acumen Pharmaceuticals' mAb for Alzheimer's Disease
Lonza and Acumen Pharmaceuticals have entered into a partnership to produce sabirnetug, a monoclonal antibody that is currently in Phase II development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Acumen Pharmaceuticals recently announced a collaboration agreement with Lonza. This agreement involves Lonza manufacturing sabirnetug (ACU193), a monoclonal antibody that targets toxic soluble amyloid beta oligomers (AβOs) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The collaboration aims to further develop therapeutics that target AβOs. The mAb is currently undergoing clinical development for the treatment of AD.
Lonza has reached an agreement to produce the drug substance sabirnetug at its manufacturing facility in Portsmouth, NH. The Portsmouth facility has 2000-L single-use bioreactors available.
“Our collaboration with Acumen showcases our flexibility in enabling innovative biotech companies to advance their innovative therapies on accelerated timelines. We are excited that our new, next-generation single-use manufacturing facility in Portsmouth (US) will be used to manufacture a [C]GMP [current good manufacturing practice] drug substance that could bring new treatment options to patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease,” stated Stefan Egli, Lonza's global head of Mammalian Biologics, in a recent press release.
The press release states that sabirnetug is the first humanized mAb to show selective target engagement of AβOs in a Phase I first-in-human study. AβOs play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease. According to the release, Sabirnetug works by preventing the binding of toxic AβOs to dendritic spines and preserving neuronal function. This helps address one of the underlying causes of AD.
“As we progress into Phase [II] clinical development of sabirnetug as a potentially best-in-class treatment for early AD, we are acutely aware that patients and their families are in urgent need of safe, effective treatment options for this devastating disease. Partnering with Lonza is a critical step to ensure broader access to next-generation AD therapies,”stated James Doherty, president and chief development officer of Acumen Pharmaceuticals, in the press release.
Source: Acumen Pharmaceuticals
