AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Aliada Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm focused on developing therapies using innovative blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology aimed at treating complex central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Aliada’s lead investigational asset, ALIA-1758, is an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta (3pE-Aβ) antibody that is currently being developed for Alzheimer’s disease treatment.
“Neuroscience is a key growth area for us, and we are dedicated to fostering innovation in this field to meet the significant unmet needs of patients suffering from debilitating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s,” stated Roopal Thakkar, M.D., executive vice president of research and development and chief scientific officer at AbbVie. “This acquisition positions us to advance ALIA-1758, a potentially best-in-class therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, Aliada’s unique BBB-crossing technology enhances our R&D capabilities, allowing us to expedite the development of next-generation therapies for neurological disorders and other conditions that benefit from improved drug delivery to the CNS.”
Michael Ryan, M.D., chief medical officer at Aliada Therapeutics, expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition: “We are excited about AbbVie’s commitment to bringing ALIA-1758 to Alzheimer’s patients. Our proprietary MODEL™ platform has facilitated the development of ALIA-1758, marking a significant advancement in delivering anti-amyloid antibody therapy to the brain. Many promising CNS-targeted therapies fall short in late-stage trials due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Our MODEL™ platform effectively addresses this issue by delivering targeted drugs and has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for neurological diseases.”
Aliada employs its Modular Delivery (MODEL™) platform, engineered for precise CNS drug delivery. This innovative BBB-crossing technology targets transferrin and CD98 receptors (TfR and CD98), which are abundantly expressed in brain endothelial cells. By designing highly optimized binders for TfR or CD98, the platform aims to deliver various biological cargoes to the brain, including therapeutic antibodies and genetic medicines such as siRNA.
ALIA-1758 utilizes the TfR mechanism to transport the 3pE-Aβ antibody across the BBB, promoting the degradation and removal of amyloid beta plaques, a key pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. This investigational candidate is currently undergoing a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate its safety and tolerability in healthy participants (NCT06406348).
According to the terms of the agreement, AbbVie will acquire all outstanding Aliada equity for $1.4 billion in cash, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2024, pending regulatory approvals and other standard closing conditions.
