Alexion, Complement Partner to Treat Neurodegenerative Disorders

On June 11, 2018, Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Complement Pharma announced a partnership to co-develop the preclinical C6 complement inhibitor CP010 for neurodegenerative disorders. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Alexion will provide Complement with up to EUR 14 million (US$16 million) in milestone-dependent payments through Phase Ib development. The agreement also provides Alexion with the option to acquire Complement during the term of the agreement.

C6 inhibition prevents the formation of the destructive membrane attack complex (MAC), a complex of terminal complement proteins that mediate cellular injury following complement activation and has the potential to treat a variety of central nervous system disorders, as stated by Alexion.

“CP010 is a humanized monoclonal antibody in preclinical development that binds to C6 in circulation to inhibit its function throughout the body by preventing MAC formation in both the periphery and the central nervous system,” Alexion stated in a company press release. “An end product of the activated complement cascade, MAC has been shown to play a role in neurodegeneration. CP010 has demonstrated C6 inhibition in vitro and in vivo; C6 inhibition prevents the formation of the MAC following complement activation which may allow treatment of a variety of central nervous system disorders.”

“Our understanding of the role of complement in many disorders continues to increase and many neurodegenerative diseases show activation of the complement system, even in early stages of disease,” said Frank Baas, MD, PhD, chief scientific officer at Complement Pharma, in a company press release. “We believe that C6 inhibition has the potential to treat multiple neurodegenerative disorders, and we look forward to working with Alexion, a partner with a worldwide leading position in complement biology, to realize the possibilities of this approach.”

Source: Alexion