Vitae Pharma earns $14 million milestone from Boehringer Ingelheim in Alzheimer's collaboration

US clinical-stage biotech firm Vitae Pharmaceuticals says it has earned a $14 million milestone payment from German family-owned drug major Boehringer Ingelheim for its initiation of a Phase I clinical trial in the companies' beta-secretase (BACE) inhibitor program for Alzheimer's disease.

"This achievement offers new promise for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease - patients who are urgently in need of new treatment options," said Jeff Hatfield, chief executive of Vitae, adding: "Our strong working relationship with Boehringer has produced great science, and the opportunity to deliver a best-in-class compound to patients."

The collaboration aims to discover and develop BACE inhibitors to slow or halt the formation of amyloid-beta plaques that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and are widely associated with the disease. Within 18 months of Vitae initiating full-scale research efforts on BACE, Vitae partnered with Boehringer, generating $42 million in upfront and research funding and the opportunity to earn more than $200 million in pre-commercial payments in addition to sales milestones and royalties.