Development of an Alzheimer’s disease therapeutic using antibodies specific to toxic Aβ oligomers

「The contracts that ended during the consolidated fiscal year were as follows. Contract termination date: 31 March 2020. Research agreement for joint development of an antibody specific to toxic oligomers of amyloid beta and its application to diagnosis and treatment.」

「We will continue evaluating the function of this antibody using new mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and proceed with its licensing out as a drug development candidate.」

「Regarding amyloid beta as a dementia-related protein, we successfully developed, jointly with Kyoto University and Chiba University, a specific assay system for toxic oligomers, which are said to have strong neurotoxicity, published a paper, and began selling an ELISA kit in November 2016. Because the antibody specific to toxic oligomers used in this product has potential as a drug development candidate, we are working with our joint research partners and external contract research organizations to accumulate data from efficacy and pharmacology studies using animal models and to file patent applications. As announced on 26 June 2017, we also entered into a joint development agreement with Transgenic Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, TG), under which we will evaluate the efficacy and effects of the antibody specific to Aβ toxic oligomers as a treatment for AD using model mice owned by TG, jointly examine its development potential as a pharmaceutical product, and pursue early licensing out to pharmaceutical companies as an AD treatment candidate.」