AC Immune Shares Insights from Key Opinion Leader Meeting on Abeta Oligomers in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Other Misfolded Proteins in AD and Neurodegenerative Diseases

AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a Swiss-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a broad pipeline focused on neurodegenerative diseases, shared top level insights from its Key Opinion Leader (KOL) luncheon meeting on Abeta oligomers and concomitant proteinopathies in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases, which took place on November 5, 2018, in New York City.

The meeting featured presentations by Professor Michael W. Weiner, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and Professor John Q. Trojanowski, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

Professor Weiner reviewed current understanding of the amyloid hypothesis of AD, emphasizing the key role Abeta oligomers as the most toxic species in the amyloid cascade, and which produce various downstream effects possibly involved in tau pathology and neuroinflammation. In regard to tau, Professor Weiner highlighted the excitement around antibody, vaccine and small molecule anti-tau therapeutics currently in clinical trials and development. Finally Professor Weiner explained the importance of diagnostics for early intervention in AD, and reviewed progress in brain PET imaging as well as molecular biomarkers in brain fluid and blood.

Professor Weiner remarked: "Alzheimer's Disease can be thought of as an amyloid induced tauopathy, and therefore therapeutics targeting amyloid and tau hold much promise in finding a cure for this devastating disease. Imaging and biomarker diagnostics, particularly blood tests, will facilitate early treatment and improved clinical outcomes.''

Professor Trojanowski highlighted the existence of concomitant pathologies in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the importance of alpha-synuclein and TDP-43, in addition to Beta-amyloid and tau. These discoveries point to the future importance of precision medicine, involving therapeutics targeting the pathological proteins relevant to an individual patients and stage of disease.

Professor Trojanowski commented: "It is becoming clearer that clinical trial participants may be better defined by their various proteinopathies and that patient sub-classification may lead to improved clinical outcomes. The high prevalence of co-pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases, as well variation between individuals, indicates that diagnostics and combination therapy may be the ultimate requirement."

Following the KOL presentations, Prof. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune, gave an overview of the Company's pipeline and strategy to be a leader in precision medicine in neurodegenerative diseases. The Company has nine products in various stages of clinical development and a sustainable pipeline of pre-clinical assets addressing key targets in AD and neurodegenerative diseases.

Professor Andrea Pfeifer commented: "We're starting to see a clearer and more important need for precision medicine with the prevalence of co-pathology in AD, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Our current therapeutic and diagnostic pipeline forms the basis of our forward strategy to become a leader in precision medicine as applied to AD and other neurodegenerative diseases."

A replay of the event is available on the Investor page of AC Immune's website.