AC Immune and Nestle Institute of Health Sciences team up for Alzheimer's disease diagnostic

Swiss pharma company AC Immune has entered into a research collaboration agreement with the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) to develop a novel, minimally invasive Tau diagnostic assay for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

AC Immune will provide its expertise in the biology and pathology of Tau and will commit its laboratory capabilities to support the collaborative research program. NIHS will apply its proprietary multiplexed antibody technology platform to the research program. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The collaboration follows another pharma deal by NIHS earlier this month, where  Lipid Therapeutics licensed the rights to a new drug compound to the Institute.

Andrea Pfeifer, chief executive of AC Immune said: “We are very pleased about this research collaboration with the NIHS which marks our fourth partnership involving the Tau protein, endorsing our capability to develop both diagnostics and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. The development of a minimally invasive diagnostic test to identify patients at very early stages is considered as one of the most pressing needs in Alzheimer’s disease. Early diagnosis of this critical global health problem is equally needed for the development of pharmaceutical as well as nutritional approaches.”