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Eisai Announces Strategic Alliance With BioArctic Neuroscience To Develop Immunotherapy For Alzheimer's Disease

30 Aug 2005 - Eisai Co., Ltd. and BioArctic Neuroscience Inc. announced that on August 24, they signed a strategic alliance agreement to develop an immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease. Based on this agreement, Eisai will obtain first right of refusal for drug candidates developed resulting from the research.
 
BioArctic Neuroscience Inc. is a biotech company that was established in January, 2003, with the aim of industrial application of Alzheimer's disease research by Prof. Lannfelt, Uppsala University. Currently, Prof. Lannfelt's group is conducting basic research to further advance knowledge about the Arctic mutation of A^beta, for immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease. Arctic mutation of A^beta is a mutation discovered by Prof. Lannfelt in 2001. It causes familial Alzheimer's disease and pathophysiologically shows very similar lesions to those found in non-familial Alzheimer's disease. In this respect, Arctic mutation of A^beta is expected to be applied to evaluate efficacy in a wide range of Alzheimer's disease treatment. The research will be carried out mainly by BioArctic Neuroscience and Prof. Lannfelt.
 
Eisai actively puruses alliances with outside organizations in order to expand its product line-up in the neurology arena, one of the company's franchise areas. With the BioArctic Neuroscience agreement, Eisai wishes to gain a new immunotherapy in drug treatment of Alzheimer's disease cut out by Aricept(R), and lead to a novel, beneficial treatment for Alzheimer's disease.