South San Francisco-based Alector, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALEC) granted Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize AL050, a preclinical brain-penetrant engineered glucocerebrosidase (GCase) enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The deal sees Alector pick up a USD 100 million upfront payment and up to USD 1.17 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestones from Genentech, plus tiered royalties on future net sales.
AL050 pairs an Alector-engineered GCase — optimized for greater enzymatic activity and a longer half-life, according to the company — with Alector's proprietary Alector Brain Carrier (ABC) blood-brain barrier delivery platform, which is designed to transport therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier. Once delivered into the brain, the enzyme is intended to break down glucosylsphingosine and glucosylceramide, lipids that accumulate upon GCase deficiency. The program is described as moving toward the clinic; no clinical trial identifiers or regulatory designations have been disclosed.
Under the agreement, Genentech assumes responsibility for development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and commercialization across all indications. Alector retains ownership of ABC and full rights to apply the platform across its wholly owned pipeline, which includes a brain-enabled anti-amyloid beta antibody (AL137), a tau siRNA (AL164) and an alpha-synuclein siRNA (AL062). The structure leaves Alector free to deploy the ABC platform in additional programs without encumbrance from the Genentech arrangement.