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

5 September 2011: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX) and Roche AG (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that they have entered 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.

Evotec's 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. Free radicals are known to cause oxidative stress which may contribute to pathogenesis of AD as demonstrated by the up-regulation of MAO-B expression in the brain of AD patients. For these reasons, the selective MAO-B inhibitor is targeted to treat AD symptoms and potentially slow disease progression... Evotec's Press Release -

Roche and reMYND's DDD : strategic alliance to develop first-in-class disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

07-09-2010 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and reMYND announced that they have entered into an agreement to develop novel therapeutics that could slow down neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients by inhibiting α-synuclein and tau toxicity.

The collaboration will focus on two of reMYND’s pre-clinical small molecule programmes targeting α-synuclein and tau related pathologies in appropriate model systems as well as potential back-up classes. Roche and reMYND will form joint teams to progress the programmes towards clinical studies. Roche will provide input into chemistry, lead-optimisation and pre-clinical development, while reMYND will continue to conduct non-clinical pharmacology studies and further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Roche will be responsible for all clinical development and worldwide commercialisation.

reMYND’s compounds are unique because they inhibit α-synuclein neurotoxicity in Parkinson's disease and tau neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. As such they are considered disease modifying, whilst most currently available treatments only treat the symptoms of the disease... reMYND's Press Release -

Siena Biotech : Roche exercises option on compounds from collaboration with Siena Biotech

March 31st 2010 - New molecules could offer innovative treatment approach for Alzheimer’s Disease - Siena Biotech S.p.A., announced that Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) will exercise its option early to become the lead party for further development, manufacture and commercialization of certain selected candidate molecules for a better treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease.


Under the terms of the collaboration, Siena Biotech has received an undisclosed option exercise fee and is eligible for further success payments upon attainment of certain development and regulatory milestones. Following successful development and commercialization of any of the candidate compounds, Siena Biotech will also receive royalties on product sales: Siena Biotech has retained rights for the further research and development of commonly discovered novel compounds for Orphan indications... [PDF] Siena Biotech's Press Release -

SRI Roche : Translational Medicine Collaboration to Study Methods and Treatments Associated with Cognitive Deficits across Neuropsychiatric Disorders

November 10, 2009 — SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced that its Center for Neuroscience has entered into a research collaboration with F. Hoffmann-La Roche to study procedures and treatments for cognition impairments in neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, depression and schizophrenia.
Research will take place in SRI's laboratories in Menlo Park, California... SRI International's press release -

Memory Pharmaceuticals : Phase 1 Multiple Ascending Dose Study of R4996/MEM 63908

Sept. 26, 2008 - Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: MEMY) announced that it has completed its Phase 1 multiple ascending dose study of R4996/MEM 63908 in healthy volunteers. The multiple ascending dose study is the fourth and final study in the Company's Phase 1 program for R4996/MEM 63908, a partial agonist of the nicotinic alpha-7 receptor being developed in collaboration with Roche. Memory Pharmaceuticals expects to report top-line results from the entire Phase 1 program in the fourth quarter of 2008.


"We conducted a robust and comprehensive Phase 1 program for R4996/MEM 63908 during which over 100 volunteers took R4996/MEM 63908. The data from these studies will provide us and our partner Roche with important insights into the safety, dosing and appropriate development path for the compound," stated Stephen Murray, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Memory Pharmaceuticals. "R4996/MEM 63908, the second compound in our nicotinic alpha-7 receptor program, has the potential to address serious cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, and we look forward to analyzing the data from these studies."... Memory Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -

Memory Pharmaceuticals and Roche : R3487/MEM 3454 Development Program

Sept. 17 , 2008 - Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: MEMY) announced that it has amended its nicotinic alpha-7 receptor agonist agreement with Roche to expand the Phase 2 development program for R3487/MEM 3454 in cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS).

Memory Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting a Phase 2 trial of R3487/MEM 3454 in CIAS, and the companies have agreed to expand the study to allow for an increase in the target number of patients enrolled in the trial to up to approximately 212 patients, which will provide for a more robust data set and increase the potential for the study to facilitate advancing the compound into a pivotal trial. In addition, Roche has notified Memory Pharmaceuticals that it intends to initiate a Phase 2 trial of R3487/MEM 3454 in Alzheimer's disease starting either at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2009... Memory Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -

Memory Pharmaceuticals' Nicotinic Alpha-7 Agonist, MEM 3454 : Roche Exercises its Option to Further Develop and Commercialize it

May 2, 2008- Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: MEMY) and Roche (SWX: ROG) announced that Roche has exercised its option to further develop and commercialize Memory Pharmaceuticals' lead nicotinic alpha-7 agonist drug candidate, MEM 3454, for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Roche's exercise of its option for MEM 3454 triggers a $6 million milestone payment and entitles Memory Pharmaceuticals to future payments upon the achievement of additional milestones and royalties on product sales, including a $17 million milestone payment upon the completion of the ongoing Phase 2a study in cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS).
In addition, Memory Pharmaceuticals retains an option to co-promote MEM 3454 in the United States... Memory Pharmaceuticals' Press Release -