Novartis and Amgen expand Alzheimer's collaboration

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) and US biotech Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN), along with the Banner Alzheimer's Institute (BAI), have expanded their collaboration to initiate a new trial - the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative (API) Generation Study 2.

This trial follows the launch of the Generation Study 1, and will determine whether the BACE1 inhibitor CNP520 - developed by Amgen and Novartis - can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms in a high-risk population. BACE1 is an enzyme that plays an important role in the production of Amyloid ß, a protein which accumulates in the brains of individuals with AD years before clinical symptoms begin.

No financial terms of the deal were released. The new trial differs from Generation Study 1, which is funded by a $33.2 million grant from the USA’s National Institutes for Health (NIH).