AC Immune and WuXi Biologics to Establish an Exclusive Strategic Partnership

19.December 2018 12:30 CET
English

Lausanne, Switzerland and Shanghai, China, December 19, 2018 - AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a Swiss-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a broad pipeline focused on neurodegenerative diseases and WuXi Biologics (2269.HK), a leading global open-access biologics technology platform company offering end-to-end solutions for biologics discovery, development and manufacturing, today announced the first steps of an exclusive strategic collaboration that covers biologics discovery, development and manufacturing.

AC Immune and WuXi Biologics have entered into a memorandum of understanding governing the terms of a preferred partnership allowing AC Immune to leverage WuXi Biologics' capacities and capabilities in the manufacturing and supply of traditional and innovative New Biological Entities (NBE) against disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Through this collaboration, AC Immune would have priority access to WuXi Biologics' proprietary platforms, including the bispecific antibody platform WuXiBody(TM) and WuXiUP continuous manufacturing platform.   In addition, WuXi Biologics would become a preferred partner of AC Immune for bioprocess development, as well as manufacturing for discovery, pre-clinical and clinical supply of AC Immune's NBE pipeline.

Under the same agreement, the companies would explore the use of AC Immune's platform to treat non-CNS diseases by identifying areas where AC Immune's antibody discovery platform could generate superior novel candidates. In addition, WuXi Vaccines, the vaccine arm of WuXi Biologics, would explore enabling the application of AC Immune's vaccine portfolio in China.

Prof. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune SA, commented: "I am very happy to work with WuXi Biologics and proud to form the basis for a partnership with such an esteemed partner in China. AC Immune aims to become a global leader in precision medicine of neurodegenerative diseases and in getting closer to develop a therapy against Alzheimer's disease, in which China plays an important role."

Dr Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics commented: "We are excited about finalizing this exclusive and comprehensive partnership and are pleased to enable AC Immune which has proven itself as a global leader in CNS diseases by partnering with Genentech and Lilly. Our comprehensive partnership would include discovery, development and manufacturing of multiple biologics and vaccine modalities including bispecific antibodies through our proprietary WuXiBody(TM) Platform.  This platform coupled with WuXiUP tackles technical hurdles of conventional bispecific platforms and tremendously reduces the cost of making these biologics, which is critical for success of biologics in treating CNS disorders.  We will continue to invest in developing next-generation globally leading technologies to enable global clients and transform biologics discovery, development and manufacturing. Together with global partners like AC Immune we are developing and manufacturing life-saving biologics to benefit patients around the world."

About AC Immune SA

AC Immune SA is a clinical-stage Swiss-based biopharmaceutical company, listed on NASDAQ, which aims to become a global leader in precision medicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Company designs, discovers and develops therapeutic as well as diagnostic products intended to prevent and modify diseases caused by misfolding proteins. AC Immune's two proprietary technology platforms create antibodies, small molecules and vaccines designed to address a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative indications, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Company's pipeline features nine therapeutic and three diagnostic product candidates - with five product candidates currently in clinical trials. The most advanced of these is crenezumab, a humanized anti-beta-amyloid monoclonal IgG4 antibody that targets monomeric and aggregated forms of beta-amyloid, with highest affinity for neurotoxic oligomers. Crenezumab is currently in two Phase 3 clinical studies for AD, under a global program conducted by collaboration partner Roche/Genentech. Other collaborations include Eli Lilly, Biogen, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Life Molecular Imaging (formerly Piramal Imaging) and Essex Bio-Technology. For more information on AC Immune SA, please visit http://www.acimmune.com/

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics (stock code: 2269.HK), a Hong Kong-listed company, is the only open-access biologics technology platform in the world offering end-to-end solutions to empower organizations to discover, develop and manufacture biologics from concept to commercial manufacturing. Our company history and achievements demonstrate our commitment to providing a truly one-stop service offering and value proposition to our global clients. As of June 30, 2018, there were a total of 187 integrated projects, including 98 projects in pre-clinical development stage, 78 projects in early-phase (Phase 1 and 2) clinical development, 10 projects in late-phase (Phase 3) development and 1 project in commercial manufacturing. With a total estimated capacity of biopharmaceutical production planned in China, Ireland, Singapore and US reaching 220,000 liters after 2021, we provide our biomanufacturing partners with a robust and premier-quality global supply chain network. For more information on WuXi Biologics, please visit www.wuxibiologics.com.

Forward looking statements
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical fact and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or AC Immune's strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "would," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "potential," "outlook" or "continue," and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include those described under the captions "Item 3. Key Information - Risk Factors" and "Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects" in AC Immune's Annual Report on Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and AC Immune does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

For further information, please contact:

In Europe
David Lowe
AC Immune Corporate
Phone: +41 21 345 91 21
E-mail: david.lowe@acimmune.com 		In the US
Lisa Sher
AC Immune Investor Relations
Phone: +1 970 987 26 54
E-mail: lisa.sher@acimmune.com
Nick Miles/Toomas Kull
Cabinet Privé de Conseils s.a.
Phone: +41 22 552 46 46
E-mail: miles@cpc-pr.com
  kull@cpc-pr.com 		In China
Jia Li
Corporate Communications, WuXi Biologics
Phone: +86 (21) 2066 4528
E-mail: li_jia0102@wuxiapptec.com