Acumen Pharmaceuticals Extends Collaboration with Lonza to Add Drug Product Manufacturing of Sabirnetug for Early Alzheimer’s Disease

• Agreement builds upon a successful collaboration supporting the manufacture of sabirnetug (ACU193) drug substance (DS) for clinical studies in Alzheimer’s disease
• Extension to provide drug product (DP) manufacturing services for clinical and potential commercial supply from Lonza’s Visp, Switzerland site

NEWTON, Mass., and BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABOS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel therapeutic that targets toxic soluble amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers (AβOs) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), announced today that it has extended its collaboration with Lonza to enable the potential future commercial launch of sabirnetug (ACU193).

Sabirnetug is the first humanized monoclonal antibody to clinically demonstrate selective target engagement of AβOs in AD patients. Soluble AβOs are a highly toxic form of Aβ that begin to accumulate before a clinical diagnosis of AD and are an early and persistent trigger of synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Acumen is developing sabirnetug as a potential next generation antibody treatment for early AD. Acumen is currently enrolling patients in the ALTITUDE sabirnetug -AD study, a Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous sabirnetug in patients with early AD. Acumen is also evaluating a subcutaneous formulation of sabirnetug in a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic comparison study in healthy volunteers.

The extended collaboration builds upon an existing successful relationship between the two companies, in which Lonza provides DS manufacturing for the Phase 2 clinical supply of sabirnetug. Under the terms of the extended agreement, Lonza will manufacture cGMP DP of sabirnetug for the ongoing and future clinical phases and support the potential commercial launch at its industry-leading state-of-the-art DP manufacturing facility in Visp, Switzerland. Lonza will also provide quality control and stability testing as part of the collaboration.

Peter Droc, Head of Drug Product Services, Lonza, commented: “Our team of experts has extensive experience in supporting the clinical and commercial manufacture of drug products. In line with our strategy to offer an integrated end-to-end offering for biologics manufacturing, we are looking forward to collaborating with Acumen to advance its innovative and promising drug candidate in the clinic and beyond.”

James Doherty, President and Chief Development Officer, Acumen Pharmaceuticals, added: “The extension of our collaboration comes at a time when we’re advancing our clinical programs for sabirnetug with more than 50 Phase 2 sites activated across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and EU. We look forward to continuing our work with Lonza and delivering a potential next-generation treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease.”

About Sabirnetug (ACU193)

Sabirnetug (ACU193) is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) discovered and developed based on its selectivity for soluble amyloid beta oligomers (AβOs), which are a highly toxic and pathogenic form of Aβ, relative to Aβ monomers and amyloid plaques. Soluble AβOs have been observed to be potent neurotoxins that bind to neurons, inhibit synaptic function and induce neurodegeneration. By selectively targeting toxic soluble AβOs, sabirnetug aims to address the hypothesis that soluble AβOs are an early and persistent underlying cause of the neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sabirnetug has been granted Fast Track designation for the treatment of early AD by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in patients with early AD.

About Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Acumen Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel therapeutic that targets toxic soluble amyloid beta oligomers (AβOs) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Acumen’s scientific founders pioneered research on AβOs, which a growing body of evidence indicates are early and persistent triggers of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Acumen is currently focused on advancing its investigational product candidate, sabirnetug (ACU193), a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets toxic soluble AβOs, in its ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial ALTITUDE-AD (NCT06335173) in early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease patients, following positive results in its Phase 1 trial INTERCEPT-AD. The company is headquartered in Newton, Mass. For more information, visit www.acumenpharm.com.

Forward-Looking Statements of Acumen Pharmaceuticals

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statement describing Acumen’s goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “seeks,” “aims,” “plans,” “potential,” “will,” “milestone” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning Acumen’s business, and the therapeutic potential of Acumen’s product candidate, sabirnetug (ACU193), including against other antibodies. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Acumen management, and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing safe and effective human therapeutics. Such risks may be amplified by the impacts of geopolitical events and macroeconomic conditions, such as rising inflation and interest rates, supply disruptions and uncertainty of credit and financial markets. These and other risks concerning Acumen’s programs are described in additional detail in Acumen’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including in Acumen’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Copies of these and other documents are available from Acumen. Additional information will be made available in other filings that Acumen makes from time to time with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and Acumen expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as otherwise required by law, whether, as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Disclaimer of Lonza
Certain matters discussed in this media advisory may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this media advisory. 

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