Evotec - Research never stops
  • Loading...

Roche: MAO-B inhibitor against Alzheimer’s disease

  • exclusive agreement for the development and commercialization of Evotec's MAO-B inhibitor in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Evotec and Roche enter into an exclusive worldwide agreement for the development and commercialization of Evotec's MAO-B inhibitor in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will pay Evotec an upfront fee of $10 million. Evotec could receive further development and commercial milestone payments of up to $820 million as well as tiered double-digit royalties on sales. Roche will initiate studies in 2012 to demonstrate proof of concept and will be responsible for all clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization activities.

The compound (EVT 302) is a novel, potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B), an enzyme that breaks down the chemical messenger dopamine in the brain and contributes to the production of free radicals, which cause oxidative stress, that may contribute to pathogenesis of AD. An up-regulation of MAO-B expression in the brain of AD patients were found. For these reasons, the selective MAO-B inhibitor is targeted to treat AD symptoms and potentially slow disease progression.

 

5 September 2011
Evotec and Roche agree to develop compound that could slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease